The Hyuga's Hound
by Solvdrage
Summary: There are many possible paths of fate and on the day of the Hyuga Affair, Naruto will take a different path. No matter the path, Naruto Uzumaki is loyal to his precious people.
1. Chapter 1

The young boy shivered in the winter air. It was an unusually warm day for December and helped spur the carnival nature of the Hidden Village of the Leaves. Today, the conflict between Konohagakure and Kumogakure would be snuffed out. The Yondaime Raikage A, had sent his most trusted Jonin Shimizu Den to negotiate a peace settlement. The citizens of Konoha were eager for an end to the stalemate. The Hidden Village of the Leaves had suffered so much in the past years. The Yondaime Hokage, the most beloved of all the Hokages had fallen defeating the hated Kyūbi that nearly destroyed the village. Kumo had taken advantage of the weakened state of Konoha and launched the latest war. The newly reinstated Third Hokage led Konoha brilliantly and A had made peace overtures. Sandaime quickly accepted and joy was overflowing in the streets.

Despite the overwhelming joy of the city, no one shared it with Uzumaki Naruto. The boy had been tossed from the orphanage that very morning. The caretaker had graciously allowed him to keep his ragged summer clothing and the thin blanket Naruto had clung to like a life raft. The neglected boy was freezing. Villagers had tossed buckets of water at the boy; Naruto was a stray to be chased away lest any kindness encouraged him to stay. The child's wandering had forced him to the edges of the city. He eventually found a quiet section of the city.

Naruto was struggling with a dumpster emblazoned with a Kanji encircled Ying-yang. "Open up! C'mon!"

The dumpster's top began to budge when a cry shattered the stillness of the night. "Shut up you brat!"

The blonde didn't recognize the voice and crawled to the edge of the dumpster. _A Ninja!_ Naruto had never been allowed to see a ninja up close before. Whenever one had come to the orphanage, Uzumaki had been forced into a back room and told to stay quiet. It was then that Naruto noticed something was wrong. His hitai-ate didn't have a leaf on it! That meant he was a bad man!

_What should I do? If I call for help, the villager's won't help me, they think I'm bad. Then bad ninja will hurt me when no one comes to help. Maybe, I should hide…_

A small voice called out for 'daddy' and Naruto froze. The enemy ninja started looking around frantically. The orphan gulped and made his decision.

Shimizu Den panicked when the Hyūga girl cried out for her father. There was absolutely no way he could defeat Hiashi, especially an enraged Hiashi. Den's distress was causing a wave of phantom pain to shoot through his empty eye socket. He still hadn't completely recovered from where that Nara bastard had torn Den's eye out with his own shadow. The Cloud Jonin was dangerously low on Chakra after his single Raiton attack on the child's bodyguard.

_Damn the Gentle Fist style!_ A flash of anger found its way to his single eye. The child cried out again and struck his shoulder with all the strength a three-year old could muster.

"Shut up!" Shimizu sighed as the hiss escaped his lips. At least that had stopped the Hyūga from hitting him for a few moments. He fumbled with the soldier pill and cursed as he dropped it. She hadn't done any real damage, but she was the Hyūga heir. Her father had already begun training her in Gentle Fist. All she had really done was make his shoulder a bit numb, but even that would ruin his already horrible chances at surviving any encounter with Hyūga Hiashi.

"LET HER GO!" The voice was trying so hard to be threatening that it was comical. Den growled as he felt the top of a trashcan crumple on the back of his head. A fresh wave of pain wracked the jonin's body.

_Damn it, I'm not recovered!_

A pair of tiny arms wrapped around his shoulders and was yelling a string of childish threats. Shimizu couldn't be delayed. He either had to get the hell out of Konoha or to the Uchiha district where his nominal allies would hopefully give him refuge. Den reached for his miniscule attacker and grabbed at a tuft of filthy hair. The strength of the child's grip was surprising even as it yelped in pain.

"**I said let her go!**" The voice froze the blood in his veins. That voice wasn't human. In fact, it sounded like Killer Bee when the Raikage's brother was angry.

Oh gods no! Den was being attacked by Konoha's Jinchūriki. The killing intent was palpable, but it was clearly and unmistakably directed at Den. In the distance, Shimizu heard Hiashi's frantic calls for his daughter. His frozen blood began to pump frantically when Hiashi and a number of other Hyūga stormed around the corner. The Jonin had to escape! His survival was next to impossible against the Hyūga head. Against the clan head _and_ the Jinchūriki, even if the boy was wild and untamed, there was no hope. Den tightened his grip on the monster's hair and began to toss him away.

Then the bastard bit him! The Cloud Jonin screamed for the first time as the top of his ear was torn away. Den was fleeing as fast as he could before the boy even hit the ground.

Naruto skidded to a stop a few feet from the crying girl. He spit the foul taste of blood from his mouth and frantically wiped away the blood from his mouth. The orphan slowly crawled over to the other child. His chest hurt, but he had to check on his friend.

"You ok?"

The girl looked up from behind her knees and nodded. Naruto smiled so broadly his eyes closed.

"That's good. I can't believe we beat a ninja!"

"W… We?" The boy nodded and caught his first glimpse of her eyes.

"Yeah! What's your names? Why are your eyes like that? They're cool!"

"Ano… Hyūga Hinata…" The boundless energy of the boy made it impossible to cry.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" A light danced in the boy's eyes. He met someone who didn't hate him!

The pounding of feet cut off Hinata's reply. Hiashi, Hizashi and four other Hyūga appeared from the shadows. Hinata ran to her father and leapt into an embrace. The young heir buried her face in her father's shoulder. She missed the flash of recognition that flashed across the rescue party's faces. The four Hyūga chunnin looked down on the Jinchūriki in digust. They were firmly convinced that his mere presence was polluting the purity of the heiress.

The twin heads of the Main and Branch houses had a very different reaction. _My god, it can't be! Why is Minato's son an urchin?_

The lost child of the Yondaime Hokage rose to his feet and swayed. The foxy grin never left his features.

"Uh… hi?" There was no time for response before the orphan slipped into unconsciousness.

Hiashi looked to his brother and nodded. "We need to get the boy to the hospital." The second his brother responded, the Clan head turned to his escort. "Get the Hokage."

* * *

An hour after Hiashi and his twin emerged from the Hokage's office, they returned to the Hyūga Clan Compound. Kō, Hinata's guardian, was waiting outside with the heiress sleeping soundly nearby.

The guardian immediately fell to his knees and bowed. "I submit whatever censure you deem necessary, Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi's eyes narrowed. Punishment? Why was Kō asking for censure? He, a freshly promoted Chunin, had charged the Cloud Jonin without thought for his own safety and defeated a pair of Kage Bushin before being disabled by a strange lightning attack from behind. Even temporarily paralyzed, he had clawed after Hinata's kidnapper screaming out for aid.

"I will pass judgment tomorrow. Take my daughter to her room."

Kō continued to bow as he rose to his feet. "As you wish, Hiashi-sama."

The Hyūga pride themselves on their emotional control. In this moment, Hiashi didn't care. His mask slipped as easily as his body slipped into the bench.

"If you do not need me, I will depart, Hiashi-sama." Hizashi bowed and started to walk away.

"Of course I need you! You're my brother!" Hiashi snapped. Hizashi stopped, but did not turn around. So, he was 'brother' now? Hiashi had activated the Cursed Seal only a few hours ago. Hizashi responded to his brother with silence.

"When did the clan beat us, otouto?" The voice was so small; Hizashi thought it was his niece speaking instead of his brother.

He finally turned around and faced his twin. "What?"

"Remember when we were seven? It was our first day in the Academy. Do you remember our promise?"

A moment passed in which Hizashi wondered who the man was sitting on the bench. Had nearly losing both his wife and daughter on the same day wounded him so deeply? "We swore we would change the clan. But that promise is empty, unless you have already forgotten activating my Cursed Seal and branding my only son with that damned mark!"

The head of the Hyūga Branch family finally gave voice to his rage. He was a slave because he had been born three minutes after his older twin. He couldn't choose his own path any more than a river could and after this morning, neither could his son. Hizashi could see the limitless potential in his son. Neiji was brilliant and should have the brightest future any Hyūga could dream of. Instead, he would be forced to stand behind those who deserved neither his service nor protection.

Hizashi hadn't known an individual with as much promise as his beloved Neiji other than the Yondaime. His son deserved to have his face on the Mountain, but with the cursed mark that path would remain a cruel dream.

Throughout the tirade, Hizashi had expected the seal to flare. Instead, there was nothing.

"I couldn't ignore the killing intent, otouto. She's my daughter. Would you have acted any different if our positions had been reversed? If you had left the womb first?"

"No." The Branch head sat quietly beside his brother. A lifetime seemed to pass as the twins simply sat on the bench. "What are you planning to do about Minato's boy?"

"We owe Minato and Kushina too much. Their son deserves more than the sky as a roof."

_You can't be thinking about _that_ can you brother? _"The Elders would never allow it. You know as well as I do what burden he bears."

"I would think you would be eager to strike at the Elders for what they forced me to do."

Hizashi's Byakugan nearly activated in shock at what his brother was hinting at. "The Elders would move to remove you. They'd brand you like they branded me! The chances you'd survive are almost nonexistent! You'd doom the Clan to Civil War!"

"If they will not allow adoption, then what?"

_Why the focus on family? Has the past week truly affected you so deeply?_ Hizashi's anger was melting. His brother's emotionless mask had never slipped this far, even when their mother had died.

"Patronage, but that is reserved only for smaller families or clans." Confusion and apprehension were driving the conversation, not rational thought.

Hiashi nodded and turned towards his twin brother. "Naruto is the only member of his family isn't he?"

This was happening. This wasn't a hallucination from the pain of the cursed seal. The head of the clan was going to drag the clan into civil war. There was no way the council would allow this.

On the other hand, Hizashi wanted, no needed, to support Hiashi in this. He could not remove the Seal from Neiji, but he could work towards a day when that damned mark was gone. Hizashi would get his revenge on the Clan and he would do so standing beside his brother in spite of the efforts to tear them apart. They would fulfill their childhood oath through Neiji, Hinata and the orphaned son of the Yondaime.

"We will need something to distract the Elders with. They can never know that we are guiding our children and Minato's son to bring down the Hyūga clan as it currently exists."

"I know, but if that child has a fraction of the talent of his parents, he _will_ be Hokage one day."

Hizashi activated his Byakugan and only continued speaking when he was confident there was no one else within earshot.

"We will have to play to their arrogance, onii-san. The Elders are concerned we are falling behind the Uchiha. Fugaku has been parading the achievements of Itachi in front of the village and is bragging that his younger child will be just as gifted. Our Clan is concerned that we have no means to compete until Neiji and Hinata are older. But…"

"Extending patronage to the Jinchūriki and giving the appearance that we are making him loyal to the Clan…"

Hizashi placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "They will not realize that instead of a weapon _for _the Clan and its traditions, it'll be a weapon _against_ the traditions of the clan. He'll be a Hokage worthy of his father and support Neiji and Hinata's efforts to end the Cursed Seal."

Hiashi and Hizashi were brothers once again.

* * *

Kō had failed in his duty for the clan and had rightfully deserved some form of censure. Hinata-sama had nearly been stolen by Kumo. The Hokage had sent numerous protests to the Raikage for the breach of trust. Kumo had declared Shimizu Den a missing-nin for his actions and announced the Raikage himself would be arriving to finalize the peace agreement. If there were any positives in the 'Hyūga Affair' it was that Konoha was in a much greater position of strength.

Unfortunately, that incredible positive could not outweigh Kō's excessive punishment.

"Excuse me, which room is the K.. Uzumaki Naruto in?"

The old nurse looked up from behind the reception desk looked up. Pity was plain as day in her face.

"Room 418." Kō bowed politely and left.

The fourth floor was practically empty. The war's wounded and sick were crowded on the lower floors. The young Main branch Chunin was bemoaning his luck and almost failed to notice the man exiting Naruto's room.

"Hokage-sama!" Kō quickly bowed. His luck was truly horrible this week.

"Good morning young man. I am glad to hear you have recovered quickly. You are to be commended for your loyalty to Konoha and to your clan. If it were not for your actions, Kumo would likely be in possession of the Byakugan now."

Kō could not believe that he was being praised by the Hokage. "Thank you Hokage-sama. I merely did my duty as a Chunin."

The Sandaime Hokage smiled. "You are far too modest. Shimizu was an elite Jonin and was a close confidant of the Raikage." The Professor paused. "I am told you are to be responsible for young Naruto now."

It was a widely known fact that the Hokage favored the Kyūbi child. Hiruzen Sarutobi's public support of the child was the boy's primary protection against a village that hated the child. That same support had also helped the Council agree to Hiashi-sama's surprising Patronage proposal.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." It was a struggle to keep the distaste from the Hyūga's voice.

"Naruto is a remarkable child. I am sure that under your guidance that he will become a fine shinobi of the Leaf."

_The Hokage is watching me? Does he want to see what kind of teacher I am?_

"I will do my duty."

The Hokage nodded to the bowing Chunin and left. Kō took a deep breath and entered room 418. He wasn't prepared for what was waiting for him. He had honestly expected the room to be a wreck and the boy properly chastised by the Hokage. Instead, the boy was wearing worn out scrubs that were two sizes too big and a grin that was brighter than the light bulb in the room. Naruto was swinging his legs back and forth as he sat on the bed.

"Uzumaki Naruto?"

The boy never stopped smiling. "That's me! Who are you?"

Truly, Hyūga Kō had failed his clan to deserve this. "I assume Hokage-sama has informed you that you have been granted patronage by the Hyūga Clan."

The boy scratched the back of his head. "Jiji said that."

Jiji? Ancestors, preserve me. "I am Hyūga Kō. Hiashi-sama wishes to thank you for helping protect his daughter."

The whiskered child's face scrunched up. "Ya mean Hinata? She ok?"

"Hinata-_sama_ is unharmed." Kō was thankful that the Jinchūriki caught the emphasis on the honorific.

"That's good, Hinatasama is really nice."

Kō took a deep breath. His life as he knew it would end after the next few words. "Naruto, you will be staying with me from now on. Hiashi-sama has tasked me with training you to be a proper protector for Hinata-sama."

Kō felt the impact before he even opened a single eye. "!"

Naruto had wrapped Kō's waist in a vice grip and was speaking a hundred miles per hour.

"Naruto…" The boy continued to ignore the necessity of breathing in order to continue thanking the Hyūga Chunin. "Naruto!"

The boy looked up and the joy in the child's eyes made him look away. "Do you have all your belongings? We will be leaving soon."

The true happiness faded. "They didn't give me my blanket back."

"I'll try to get it back tomorrow. Come on, let's go home."

Kō froze for a moment when the Uzumaki child looked like he was going to start crying. What had he said? He had no idea how to handle the boy.

"Ok!" Hyūga Kō frowned as the boy changed masks.

Kō lived in a small apartment in the Hyūga district of Konoha. He wasn't wealthy, but he was Main Branch and his connection to one of Konoha's most prestigious clans allowed him to live a bit beyond his means. Naruto bolted into the apartment as soon as he could squeeze through the door. The excitable blond was rushing between the small foyer, kitchen and living room as if every square inch was a work of art that begged to be inspected. Kō felt a pang of guilt that he was glad Naruto didn't have shoes when he got inside. Naruto flopped down on the carpet and theatrically sighed in comfort.

"It's time to eat. Sit down and I'll bring the food in a little bit."

"Ok…" Something was wrong. The Hyūga had only been watching Naruto for a few hours but knew the boy almost never let his exuberant mask slip. Kō turned his back and activated his Byakugan. Uzumaki Naruto was afraid of something. It was obvious on his features. There was nothing threatening in the apartment. Kō hadn't been short or angry with the child. What was so scary that the boy was trembling about?

The microwave beeped and Kō took out the two instant meals. He handed one to Naruto and sat down across from Naruto. The boy's bang's covered his eyes and for an instant, he looked a bit like Hinata after she scrapped her knee.

"You aren't leaving." It wasn't a question. Kō didn't know how to respond, because no four year old should sound so old.

"Of course not."

"I don't have to leave do I?" Naruto's face remained hidden behind his hair.

"Why would you have to leave?"

"At the orphanage, they never let me eat with the other kids."

Jinchūriki or not, how could anyone treat a child like that?

"You aren't in the orphanage anymore. Come on, you need to eat; we have a busy day tomorrow. I have a lot to teach you."

Naruto had fought a brave battle, but was utterly defeated. The tears flowed fast and free. Kō was panicking now. Had he upset the child so much? Was the Kyūbi going to take over the distressed boy?

"K… Kō-san… Can, can I call you nii-san?"

Kō was shocked into silence for a second. The second's pause caused Naruto's tears to fall even faster.

"You can call me nii-san, Naruto."

The orphan looked up and a hurricane of emotion danced across his eyes. "Thank you."

The pair finished eating in silence. Kō wrapped Naruto on a blanket and let him sleep on the couch. The Chunin finished preparing for sleep and sat in a chair near the boy. He had feared the moment Naruto went to sleep. He had been plagued with nightmares that the Kyūbi would take over the child at night. Instead, he was watching a young boy who had cried tears of joy because Kō had taken five minutes to eat a microwaved meal with him. A child who had literally begged Kō to be allowed to call him his older brother. There was no rampage or inhuman noises. There was only a steady rhythm of contented breaths.

If that made Naruto a demon, what was Kō?

**Author's Notes: **Oh my god, it's not a crossover! Reviews welcomed and encouraged even if it's to tell me I suck (constructively I hope).


	2. Chapter 2

Kō loved to sleep. He lied to himself and claimed it was as close to peace as a Konoha Nin would likely achieve in his life. The truth was that in his core, Kō was as lazy as any Nara. If he hadn't been born with the Byakugan and used the word 'troublesome' a bit more, he could easily be mistaken for a member of the legendary deer herders. His hair was certainly spiky enough and when he wasn't at the Hyūga compound he slept soundly and never moved.

"Nii-san! The sun's up! What are you going to teach me? Nii-san!" Kō saw that the clock was hatefully showing six am. Hiashi-sama had graciously allowed him to come in later because of his injuries.

"Troublesome." Kō grumbled into his pillow. _Maybe my mother actually was a Nara…_ "I'll be there in a second."

Naruto shouted something involving 'ninjas' and 'exciting' while Kō shuffled into the bathroom. He shuffled out into the living area and found Naruto bouncing up and down on the sofa. Kō cast a quick glance around his apartment. He still had all his furniture intact. His small TV wasn't a wreck and all the scrolls and books were in their proper place. Oh thank god.

The small kitchenette was also thankfully free of fire. Kō grabbed some cereal and poured some soy milk into it. He hated that stuff, but last time he was at the store he picked it up while in a dead rush. His responsibilities to Hiashi-sama and Hinata-sama rarely left him much time. Now, he had Naruto too. He was only going to have sleep as personal time.

Joy.

He called Naruto to the kitchen table and handed him the bowl. Naruto began eating like he hadn't seen food in a month.

"Ok, Naruto, first lesson. Eat slower. It's not going anywhere and you won't make a mess."

The child looked up at his 'nii-san' and smiled. The boy wasn't eating much slower, but it was passable for a hyperactive four year old. Kō returned his focus to the sacred morning ritual of making coffee. It wasn't popular in Konoha. It was far more common on Nagi Island. The Chunin really couldn't remember where he discovered coffee. He had a few vague memories about a drunken celebration for a completed mission that involved some kunai, a large fire, his now dead friend Masao and Suzu and a few Land of Noodle prostitutes.

Hyūga Kō prayed every single night that no one in Konoha found out about that the Great Harbor Fire was connected to a drunken bender he took part in as a _Genin_.

Kō joined Naruto at the table. "How did you sleep?

"Great!" Naruto clasped his hands behind his head. Kō found it impossible not to smile back. "Thanks for breakfast."

"You're welcome Naruto. And that is one of the lessons I will be teaching you. Manners. The Hyūga are a very important clan. You need to be on your best behavior all the time. I'll be teaching you when it's ok to run around and play and when it's time to sit still and be polite."

"Like a game?"

That was actually a brilliant idea. Naruto had too much energy to listen to lectures. The game would help him focus and the possibility of reward would make him eager to keep practicing.

"Yes, like a game. Tell you what. Let's start in a little bit. The first part of the game will start soon. I'll tell you how you get points."

Naruto nodded vigorously. "Ok!"

Kō quickly finished getting ready, but took the time to take one last hate filled glance at the clock. It was still before seven. He was planning on blissfully sleeping till 8 and distracting Naruto with simple exercises while he finished recovery. Now, he was up at his usual time and had slipped into responsible guardian mode. There were times where Kō wondered if his clan had two bloodline limits, the Byakugan and the ability to change emotional states like lesser clans changed clothes.

"Alright Naruto. It is time to begin your training. Hiashi-sama has graciously granted you patronage. The Hyūga Clan is the most respected of all Konoha's Clans. I am going to teach you to become a Ninja worthy of Konoha and the Hyūga Clan."

It truly was amazing how quickly the masks changed. Five minutes ago, Kō was fondly recalling his youthful misadventures and now he was teaching a boy so that he would never have his own.

"I'm going to be a ninja!" Naruto leapt to his feet and was shaking with excitement. Kō was more convinced than ever that lectures would not work with the boy. Hinata-sama and Neiji-san had the innate Hyūga poise to benefit greatly from lectures.

"Yes, Naruto. We are starting now. Do you know what Chakra is?" The Chunin sat down with another cup of coffee.

"I've heard bout it."

That was actually more than Kō had hoped for. It was likely the Hokage had told Naruto about Chakra and being a ninja during the visit in the hospital. Kō began a simple explanation of Chakra that every child of his Clan heard from the moment they could talk. Naruto would interrupt occasionally to ask a question about a word or something he wasn't sure about. He was a very different student from Kō's usual charges. The Chunin found himself enjoying it. Naruto devoured the lesson like he devoured his food. Kō was also forming the teaching methods that would best fit his hyperactive charge. Naruto responded well to acknowledgement, even if it was explaining something he did wrong.

"It's time for lunch. Let's eat out today."

Naruto shot up with a yippee. Kō laughed at the enthusiasm. This boy was certainly going to cause a scene when he entered the compound. The Elders were going to have a heart attack.

_That might have been Hiashi-sama and Hizashi-sama's plan_.

The first stop was a clothing store. There was absolutely no way Kō was going to bring Naruto to the Compound wearing borrowed hospital scrubs and no shoes. The Chunin tried to get Naruto to wear traditional Hyūga style robes. The boy crossed his arms defiantly and pointed towards similar robes.

"I want those."

This was finally the reaction Kō had expected when Hiashi-sama had informed him of his mission. "But Naruto, they are _orange_. Hyūga do not wear orange."

Naruto pouted. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

Kō couldn't help but chuckle at the pride in that simple declaration. The robes weren't that gaudy. It was a subdued burnt orange. The Hyūga tutor did not believe that he would be in any more trouble than he likely was. Truthfully though, arguing with Naruto over the color of his clothes would be too much of a hassle.

"Alright, alright. We'll get those robes. Come on, we've got a few other stops."

The cashier shook his head as Kō lead Naruto to the checkout. "Kids, once they get an idea in their head they don't let go."

Naruto grinned at the man who nodded back. Kō found a changing room and helped the boy get into his new robe. He had to fight off a dozen questions ranging from why it had to be tied _this way_ to what would happen when Naruto got bigger. The idea that he would one day have to stop wearing his new robes was horrifying to the child.

"Ready to eat, Naruto?"

The pair eventually reached a small ramen stand. Naruto climbed onto the stool himself and rejected any help from Kō. The boy was always eager for any chance to prove himself.

"Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen, I'm Ayame. May I take your order?" The young girl asked hesitantly. It was obviously her first day.

"I'll have Miso Ramen. Do you have a smaller order for Naruto here?"

The girl nodded. "We do."

Kō smiled. "I think he'll like Miso too."

"It'll be ready in a moment."

Naruto looked a bit confused. "Don't worry Naruto, you'll get your lunch. They are fixing it for us."

The boy looked relieved. "Kay. I'm hungry."

Kō ruffled the boy's hair. This wasn't as bad as he had feared. "Good. Now, remember that your food isn't going to run away. Take your time and don't make a mess."

The waitress returned and placed the orders in front of Kō and Naruto. After a hearty itadakimasu, Naruto tried the ramen. His eyes went wide and for a second it looked like the boy was going to completely ignore Kō's lesson. Naruto saw his nii-san's disapproving look and slowed down.

_No, this won't be bad at all_. Kō thought with a smile.

* * *

Uchiha Fugaku sat behind his desk and glared at his subordinates and clansmen, Tekka and Yashiro.

"The Hokage has rejected to hear our appeal of the Hyūga's monopolization of the jinchūriki."

Yashiro bowed his head. "I am truly sorry, Fugaku-sama. The Hokage has already approved the Patronage request. The jinchūriki was responsible for the rescue of the Hyūga heiress."

The edge of the desk splintered where Fugaku struck it. "Did he even consider that having the Kyūbi in the hands of those Hyūga bastards will do to the balance of power in Konoha?"

The two lower ranking Uchiha instinctively flinched as their commander's Sharingan activated. "Have you had any contact the Raikage?"

Fugaku flipped his desk. "Shut up you fool! Do not mention that outside our District. Not everyone in the Military Police is one of us!"

Tekka bowed quickly to hide his own fear. "Forgive me, Fugaku-sama."

The Uchiha head began storming around the office. "I want the Kyūbi under surveillance."

Yashiro bowed. "Yes, Fugaku-sama. We will have to be cautious, the Sandaime favors the child."

The two Military Police officers were curtly dismissed. Fugaku was left alone to fume. The Kyūbi had ruined the potential alliance with Kumo. This would delay the Uchiha reclaiming their rightful place by years. "The founder said it would come to this. We were so blinded by our fatigue that we ignored the only Uchiha brave enough to see the truth. What would you say to this, Madara?"

* * *

Hiashi took a calming breath. His daughter was progressing slower than he had expected. The memories of her near abduction by Kumo still haunted him. However, he remembered Hinata fighting back. The Hyūga Clan head's Byakugan had shown him the entire encounter. Hinata had landed several strikes on the Jonin. She had not closed the tenketsu completely, but she was a traumatized three year old fighting one of the Raikage's most talented retainers. It was enough to quiet concerns of potential weakness, for now.

Hiashi watched as his daughter slowly recovered and thought about his conversations with his brother. Their initial fear had been avoided. Their father, Hisao, was actually ecstatic. Hyūga Hisao was vocal in his _concerns_ that the Hyūga clan was losing face and stature in comparison to the Uchiha. The granting of patronage the jinchūriki and declaring he would be brought up with 'Hyūga values' had been met with a smile.

It was disgusting. Hiashi couldn't bring himself to view the son of the Yondaime as a weapon or a tool in the ongoing competition with the Uchiha. The twin Household heads could only see the child as the legacy of one of their closest friends. Hizashi had later confided that, though it was never their intention, it did 'feel good to stick it to those pompous Uchiha'.

The clan head noticed that Hinata had caught her breath after the exercise.. "Hinata, activate the Byakugan."

"Hai, otou-san." Hinata signed and activated her Bloodline limit and her father followed suit.

Hiashi nodded. "How many carved stones are there?"

The Byakugan granted a range of perception than the rest of humanity could dream of experiencing. A Hyūga had three hundred and sixty degree vision, could see the chakra pathways of a living creature and with see through obstacles. Certain gifted Hyūga could expand their vision to several kilometers in diameter.

Hinata's vision range was several _meters_. "Ano…" She hesitated. There were four that she could see in the courtyard, but something was drawing her attention elsewhere.

"Nii-san, why is there a rock in the hall?" The distant voice was quickly hushed.

"Three!" Hinata yelped before her father could say anything. The perfect emotional never slipped. Internally, he was fondly remembering another fiery Uzumaki with an utter lack of subtlety.

"Describe their location."

"One is in mama's flowers. There is one next to the tree and one in the hall near the urn."

Hiashi nodded. "Well done." Hinata brightened and bowed. "You may join us Kō-san."

Kō took a deep breath. "Thank you, Hiashi-sama."

The Hyūga clan prided themselves on tradition and conformity. Physical appearance was almost completely uniform throughout the clan. The clan also encouraged subdued clothing. Nowhere in Konoha was a conservative stance more ardently embraced than within the Hyūga district.

Thus, Uzumaki Naruto stood out like the full moon on a starless night. The boy's blond hair, blue eyes and whisker birth marks were unlike anything Hinata had ever seen. Naruto was clearly struggling to contain his natural exuberance. In the young heiress's eyes, it was as if the concept of fun decided it wanted a body.

"Afternoon, Hiashi-sama!" The boy bowed just a bit too much. The tactiturn clan head fought back a smirk. Hisao-sama was going to have to remind himself constantly of the power of the Jinchūriki to stand the hyperactive child.

Naruto turned and smiled without any sense of restraint. "Hi! Hinata-sama!"

"Good afternoon, Uzumaki-san." The clan head turned to the tutor. "Kō-san, I hope our young ward has not been too much trouble."

Kō bowed. "No, Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi prided himself on his ability to read the emotional state of other people. The clan head had known the young tutor for years. Kō was an open book. However, familiarity did not prevent surprise. Kō was not only keeping up with the Yondaime's secret child but enjoying it. It was unexpected.

"Excellent. Hajime will be arriving shortly to see to Hinata and Uzumaki-san's lesson in chakra manipulation."

Naruto flinched at the unfamiliar name and the realization nii-san wasn't going to be with him. The young child panicked and looked towards Kō for reassurance.

"It is alright, Naruto. Hajime is my older cousin. He's going to teach you more about chakra. Remember this morning?" The blond nodded and Kō decided to never mention that pretty much all Hyūga were cousins. "He taught me about chakra. Also, Hinata-sama will be with you and I am sure she will be able to help you if you need it."

The heiress 'eeped' and bowed politely. Naruto walked towards the dark haired girl with his smile firmly glued to his face. Kō approached the head of his clan.

"Hiashi-sama, thank you. This will allow me to investigate the situation at the orphanage Naruto mentioned while we were purchasing acceptable clothing." Naruto's excited talk of learning about chakra caused Kō to pause. "I apologize that Naruto is so unrestrained in Hinata-sama's presence."

"They are children. There is no shame in them having a moment of childhood. They will soon be shinobi of Konoha and soldiers."

Kō politely agreed with Hiashi-sama while recalling the first time he had killed on a mission. He had been thirteen. The mission has been a C-rank and Team Yumiko was escorting a merchant between Konoha and a farming village. At the time, Kō swore every bandit in the Land of Fire was charging out of the woods. The clarity of hindsight allowed the Chunin to realize that there had likely been less than a dozen bandits. Yumiko-sensei had killed four nearly as soon as Kō had detected them with his Byakugan. The young Hyūga had been so horrified that he missed with his first kunai. The second kunai missed the man's chest and hit in the leg. Had Kō really been that scared? Years of Clan and village training had taken over and Kō landed a series of Gentle Fist strikes on the stumbling bandit. The man's heart had shattered. Masao and Suzu had also killed. Masao's first kill had been with a thrown Kunai and Suzu had used her clan's genjutsu. The survivors were wounded and subdued for the Uchiha Military Police to recover later.

"My appointment at the orphanage is in two hours. Is there anything the clan requires of me, Hiashi-sama?"

Hiashi produced a small scroll from his robes. "Take this to my brother. He is training Neiji and the other Branch family children. No one other than Hizashi may read this."

"Of course Hiashi-sama." There was something off with this, Kō realized. Hiashi-sama had called Hizashi-sama, 'my brother' instead of Hizashi or the branch head. Also, Kō had been instructed to keep the scroll out of sight. The behavior of the Clan head was odd.

"Hinata-sama, may I speak with Naruto for a moment?" Hinata nodded politely and Kō pulled his surrogate little brother aside. "Naruto, remember the game we talked about this morning?"

"I remember, nii-san." Naruto's nod was theatrical in its intensity.

"Good. Time to start. You are to pay attention and listen to Hajime-sensei. If Hajime-sensei gives me a good report, you'll earn 5 points. If you can tell me about the lesson, I'll give you another 5 points."

"What are the points for?" Naruto chewed his lip.

"If you get ten points, I'll take you to get more ramen." Kō had spoken the magic word. There was no way the blond was going to ignore the lesson now.

"Awesome! Hey, when I get ten points, can Hinata-sama come?" The boy's confidence was a boon, Kō realized. Hinata was still shaken from her ordeal and by her mother's illness. Kō turned to Hiashi-sama. The clan head gave a nod so slight only Kō noticed it.

"If Hinata-sama wishes."

Naruto turned to Hinata and had a look in his eyes that wouldn't have been out of place in the Inuzuka Kennel.

"Ano… I'd like that." Hinata agreed. Naruto leapt into the air and smiled.

"Ramen is the single greatest food ever. You'll love it!" The reaction was so un-Hyūga that Hinata couldn't contain a giggle.

At that moment, Hajime-sensei arrived. Kō quickly explained the situation and his observations on the best way to reach Naruto. The middle aged Hyūga tutor nodded and called the children over. Naruto turned and waved to his big brother before following Hinata into the compound.

Kō headed in the opposite direction. He was Main Branch and rarely entered the section of the compound occupied by the Branch Family. There was still tension between the branches, but Hiashi and Hizashi's recent reconciliation was a sign things could improve. Hizahsi was emerging from the Branch Dojo with a winded Neiji following closely behind.

"Hizashi-sama, Neiji-kun." Kō bowed politely. The Chunin could theoretically use the honorific san with Hizashi. However, Kō was aware of the brother's efforts to heal the rift between the Branches.

"Kō-san." Hizashi returned the courtesy shown by the Main Branch retainer.

"Hizashi-sama, I have a message from your brother, Hiashi-sama."

Hizashi turned to Neiji. "Excellent work today, Neiji. Rest for a bit and get ready for your next lesson." The boy beamed at his father's praise and politely departed. "Join me in my office, Kō-san."

The office of the Branch family was not as grand as Hiashi's office, but it compared to the offices of other Clan Heads. "Hiashi-sama wanted me to deliver this scroll."

Hizashi accepted the scroll with both hands. "Thank you, Kō-san. I have been informed you are to be investigating why our new charge was removed from the orphanage prematurely."

Kō didn't try to hide his distaste at what had happened to Naruto. "I am, Hizashi-sama."

"Good. Young Naruto may not officially be a Hyūga, but Hiashi and I will extend every protection to the child as if he shared our blood. It is high time our great Clan became a _family_ again."

The pair parted politely and the Chunin exited the compound with a bit of haste. Realization was dawning. Hiashi-sama and Hizashi-sama couldn't be planning something on that magnitude could they? The Elders would try to remove both of them from their positions. The twins were incredibly popular with a large portion of the Clan, but had angered the most conservative elements of the Hyūga.

No, it has to be something regarding Naruto.

Konoha was quiet and cool. It rarely snowed in the Hidden Village of the Leaf. Kō actually liked the crisp air. He reached the orphanage and grunted in distaste. This _place_ was shabby. Kō was Main Branch Hyūga and had high standards wired into his genetic code. Worse, they had kicked a three year old out with only a raggedy blanket and summer clothing.

Kō was greeted by an old man sipping at Sake. He was not amused. "Welcome, Hyūga Kō. I am Maeda Hiroshi. Thank you for being so prompt. Today is my last day here."

_Good_. Kō thought but didn't say. "You are welcome Maeda-san."

"Let's talk in my office." There was a change in tone that would have been clear even to a civilian.

The Chunin followed the retiring caretaker. They sat in old but surprisingly comfortable chairs. There was a moment of quiet as Hiroshi gathered his thoughts. "Could you use your Bloodline Limit to check the halls?"

In that moment, Kō realized Naruto's situation was far more complicated than he even dreamed. Ko signed and whispered Byakugan. He had trained his Bloodline limit and even seen a little combat in the Third Shinobi World War. Kō's range of vision was impressive. The entire orphanage was laid bare before him.

"No one is within earshot and there are no listening devices in your office."

Maeda sighed with relief. "You are likely going to explode at first, but… Naruto was kicked out to protect him." The old drunk was right. Kō's instincts screamed for him to strike the man with a full Jukken strike. Naruto had really grown on Kō in the short time they had been together. He managed to remain calm and the retiring man continued.

"Naruto's probably told you about never being allowed to see the Ninjas that came to the orphanage."

Kō nodded. Naruto sadly recalled the fact while they were walking to lunch. He had seen a silver haired Jonin giggling at an orange book. The young boy wanted to be a ninja with every fiber of his being. Naruto saw the looks of respect that Konoha gave even to her Genin. Kō would never forget the conversation that ended any lingering fears the Kyūbi held any sway over Naruto.

"_So, why do you want to be a ninja, Naruto?"_

_The boy fidgeted in his new robe. "The village looks at ninja like they are family. I want to be family to the village and protect them. If I'm like family, no one will be alone like I was anymore."_

Maeda instinctively looked around the room and ignored Kō's active Byakugan. "Those ninja were loyal to Danzō. Hokage-sama could not let Naruto fall into Danzō's clutches. We haven't been able to confirm anything, but we think the old Warhawk has his private army up and running again."

"How do you know? Who are you really?"

"Shinobi aren't the only ones who are capable of gathering intelligence. Hokage-sama doesn't have enough evidence to move against someone with the clout of Danzō."

"How does kicking Naruto out of your orphanage protect him?"

"Hokage-sama had him shadowed by some of his most trusted ANBU. Naruto was going to wander around the village for a few hours and be picked up by the Uchiha Military Police. The Hokage had left Fugaku-sama explicit written orders to release Naruto into his custody. The Uchiha police never found him. We checked their patrol records under the aegis of investigating the attempt to kidnap Hinata-sama. Everything seemed in order, but there were no reports of a boy wandering the streets alone. I know this isn't true, because I filed a report myself. I even admitted to drunkenness my statement. They fined me eighty ryo for drunk in public! They didn't even care that I'd let the child just go! I guess it worked out though… Hokage-sama never dreamed that Naruto would help save Hinata and give Hiashi-sama and Hiromi-sama the excuse they've been looking for since the passing of the Yondaime to adopt the child."

If the silence that followed had been an ocean, Kō would have drowned. The revelations that Hiroshi had dropped into Kō's lap had left him mentally battered. The only experience Kō had to compare his current state to was the beating he received in his first Chunin exam finals.

"I had no idea." Kō's eyes were downcast and his voice sounded hollow in his own ears. _Gods above, I sound like I disappointed father._

"Is there anything else?"

Kō looked up. "Did the hospital return a blanket to you?"

Maeda coughed a bit on his sake. "They did. Does Naruto want it back?"

"He'd like that." The Chunin smiled weakly as he was still reeling from Maeda's tale.

The old man pulled a blanket from a drawer and handed it over. Kō folded it and put the blanket under his arm. "Thank you. I am glad you told me."

"You're welcome. Take care of Naruto. He deserves so much more than to be alone because of his sacrifice."

Kō had never agreed with anyone more.

* * *

Naruto's arm stretched as high as it could. Hajime finished his point and sighed. The boy was going to ask _another_ question. Kō had said the Uzumaki child was an 'active learner', but the younger tutor clearly forgot a prefix. This was _not_ how Hyūga learned.

"Yes, Uzumaki-san." Since this was the sixteenth question in an hour, Hajime didn't even try to hide his agitation.

"Hajime-sensei, I know I can't use Gentle fist 'cause I don't have the By-coo-gone, but could I still put chakra into my hits?"

"Yes, it is possible. You should focus more on chakra control for ninjutsu however." Naruto's eyes lit up at 'ninjutsu' and he really, really wanted to ask if Hajime-sensei was going to teach any jutsus today. He decided to wait and see. Nii-san's lessons about being patient with food probably applied to being patient with everything else. Nii-san was smart.

"Ok, Hajime-sensei."

The middle aged teacher continued for a few more minutes before dismissing the children. They were all glad to be out of a lesson and ran off. Naruto stretched and smiled at Hinata.

"Glad that's over. I've never sat that long ever!"

"Ano, Naruto-chan… We have lessons every day." Hinata said quietly while inspecting the ground.

"WHA! EVERDAY!" Naruto shouted in abject horror.

Hinata giggled. "Yes, everyday Naruto-chan."

"We don't have any more today?" The eagerness and hope in his tone was infectious. Naruto really wasn't like anyone Hinata had ever met.

"No more today." Hinata was as glad as Naruto. "Let's go to the garden until Kō-san gets back."

"Kay, Hinata-sama!"

The two children were unaware they were being watched by Hiashi's Byakugan. The head of the Clan sat in his office with his twin brother, Hajime and Kō.

"Hajime-san, what are your opinions of Uzumaki Naruto?"

"I cannot fault his desire to learn. However, he does not listen to lectures like a proper Hyūga. No student of mine has ever asked so many questions."

Hizashi crossed his arms. "How was his behavior?"

"The Uzumaki child never interrupted the lesson and only spoke when acknowledged. I was surprised that he had the awareness to call me sensei."

Hiashi nodded. "Thank you, Hajime-san."

Hajime bowed and left. No one spoke until Hizashi and Hiashi were confident that there was no risk of being overheard. The twin family leaders turned to Kō.

"The meeting with the Orphanage head was not what you expected." Hiashi stated plainly.

This was going to be awkward. Kō wasn't entirely sure how the powerful figures in front of him would react. However, he was honor bound as both Naruto's guardian and a Hyūga to inform his superiors of what he discovered. The Chunin recounted the conversation in full detail. He left out no detail, from the actual words to Maeda's demeanor.

Hizashi cast his brother a concerned look. "Kō-san, what we are about to tell you is not to leave this room. You are forbidden to tell anyone, especially Naruto, what we are about to reveal. This is an S-class secret and if the Hokage found out we told you, the clan could face serious sanction."

Kō's mouth went dry. The tone Hizashi had used left no room for discussion. Hiashi leaned forward. "Now that you understand… Naruto's status as the Jinchūriki of the Nine Tailed Fox is not the sole reason for his partial anonymity. If Naruto's true parentage was discovered, he would be targeted by Hunter-nins from every major Hidden Village possibly including rogue units from our own village. His father was a great man, one of the greatest I have ever known, but he had many enemies."

_Who could inspire so much fear that a Hidden village would aspire to kill a dead man's child?_

"Naruto's father was the Yellow Flash. He is Namikaze Minato's son."

Kō's entire world went numb.

* * *

"Mama!" Hinata cried out with glee and ran across the garden. The heiress hugged her mother tightly.

"How was your lesson, Hina-chan?" The gentle looking woman asked as she sat her daughter in her lap.

"It was good." Hinata was beaming as her mother stroked her hair.

Naruto felt a deep longing in his heart. The sight of Hinata and her mother as something Naruto had always dreamed he would one day have. He was happy for his friend, but he could not ignore the void in his own life. Naruto was grateful for nii-san. He really was, but there was a void only a mother could fill.

"Hello, you must be Naruto-chan." Naruto smiled shyly at the greeting.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And polite, Kō-kun is a gifted tutor. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Hiromi, Hinata's mother."

"Nice to meet you, Hiromi-sama."

_It seems Kō-kun has begun molding Naruto to be like his father. Oh, you poor boy, I wish I could tell you how wonderful your parents were and how much they loved you._

Hiromi did not shun the boy. The Hyūga matron simply allowed them to be children. It was one of the greatest days of Naruto's young life. It was late in the afternoon when Kō entered the gardens to retrieve Naruto.

"Good evening, Hiromi-sama. I am glad to see that you are well."

"Ah, Kō-kun! It is good to see you. Are you here to collect, Naruto-chan?"

"Yes, Hiromi-sama. I thank you for looking after Naruto."

Hiromi smiled. "It was a pleasure. I look forward to seeing him in the compound after his lessons. He is very well behaved."

_Oh thank gods._ Kō mentally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Say good night to Hiromi-sama and Hinata-sama, Naruto."

Naruto was playing with Hinata off to the side. "Do I have to go?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto. We have to go. Hinata-sama has to get ready for dinner. And… we need to go, too. You haven't told me about Hajime's lesson. It would be a shame if we were late to Ichiraku…"

"Right! Can Hinata-sama come with us to get ramen tonight?" Hope practically dripped from his voice.

Hiromi enjoyed the emotional warmth of the child. It was refreshing after her latest illness and the terror of almost losing her precious daughter. "I am sorry, Naruto-chan. Hina-chan cannot go tonight. There will other times, perhaps after your next lesson."

The disappointment was clear on the blond's face. Suddenly, Hinata's statement that they had lessons everyday wasn't as terrible as it was the first time he heard it. Naruto quickly looked back and forth between his brother-figure and his new friend. "We'll be back tomorrow right?"

Kō chuckled. "Of course."

Naruto jumped into the air and shouted in joy. He quickly calmed down and waved goodbye. "Bye, Hinata-sama, Hiromi-sama! See you tomorrow!"

"Good bye Naruto-chan." Hiromi said warmly while her daughter was barely able to shyly whisper goodbye.

As Naruto and Kō walked out the front gates, the young boy excitedly talked about the lesson. The Chunin smiled as he wondered what the future held for the remarkable child.


	3. Chapter 3

The new year was a passing like a hurricane for young Naruto and Kō. The Hyūga Clan had 'encouraged' Kō to find a new apartment. The secretly lazy tutor grumbled and eventually found a quiet two bedroom apartment. It wasn't as nice as the last apartment. There was one really nice apartment t Kō had found, but he rejected it as soon as he discovered exactly where it was.

Naruto was bouncing on _his_ bed when a tired Kō came in. "Do you like the apartment, Naruto?"

"Yep! I get my own bed!" The child sat still and hoped his big brother wouldn't take any points away for jumping on the bed. "Gotta question."

"Let me guess, why didn't I choose the other apartment?" Naruto grinned. Nii-san was really smart. "It was close to the Uchiha district. Our clans don't get along all the time."

Kō didn't mention that the Hokage had informed Hiashi-sama and Hizashi-sama that the Uchiha were watching Naruto. The clan head had informed Kō of what they had uncovered. The Hokage had not been pleased to learn that Kō was privy to Naruto's heritage but graciously allowed Naruto to remain with his adopted older brother. Hizashi had told Kō that the Hokage had begun stepping up his investigations into Danzō. The Chunin tutor was grateful. He truly feared what a warmonger like the Hokage's rival would transform the orphans into.

_At least he isn't Orochimaru_. The mere thought of the Snake Sanin sent shivers down Kō's spine.

"You don't want to get in fights with them or Jiji will get mad at us. I don't want Hiashi-sama, Hizashi-sama, Hinata-sama, Hiromi-sama, Hajime-sensei, Neji-niisan, or you to get in trouble."

_Troublesome_, _he listed almost everyone in the compound. I really am related to the Nara. That's the fifteenth time I've thought or said troublesome today._

"Please refer to the Sandaime as Hokage-sama, Naruto."

Naruto pouted. "Jiji said it's ok."

"Fine, you may refer to the Hokage as Jiji, but only when you are with me or its just the Hokage around. Remember, you have to be on your best behavior. You don't want the Hyūga to get in trouble do you?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Why would you all get in trouble?"

"It's one of those complicated manners situations."

Naruto let out a long 'oh' before hopping off the bed. "What are we going to do today? We have time before we go to Hajime-sensei's lessons!"

"We just moved into a new apartment Naruto. I'm sory, but we won't be practicing anything serious before we go to the compound. If you really want to do something, you can practice reading. I'll give you two points for each scroll you read out loud."

The boy leapt off the bed and grabbed a scroll and started reading loudly. Naruto really wanted to make sure nii-san heard him. Kō took the opportunity to finish arranging things in his room.

"Great work, Naruto! That's four points. Let's go, you don't want to be late for Hajime-sensei's lesson do you?"

Naruto scrambled for the door. "If I do good today can I stay and play with Hinata-sama?"

Kō assured Naruto that he would be able to. The new neighborhood wasn't as crowded as the Hyūga district and was mostly civilian in makeup. A few shot Naruto unkind glances, but Kō's obvious Hyūga features and unmarked forehead wiped them away. The Hyūga couldn't drag people to jail like the Uchiha could, but they could ruin anyone they wanted financially if the Clan was crossed.

The walk was longer than usual, but Kō was actually thankful for it. Hopefully, this would eat away at some of Naruto's seemingly boundless and infinite energy. Hajime-sensei was swearing to anyone who would listen that he was retiring as soon as Naruto and Hinata entered the Academy. The blond was rubbing off on the heiress and she was asking almost as many questions as Naruto. Even the other Hyūga children were asking questions.

Naruto bolted away from Kō the second they arrived at the compound. Kō choked down a laugh as he heard Hinata 'eep' when Naruto shouted her name. Kō noticed that several branch and main family members were also struggling to hide their amusement. One of Kō's great fears had been that the Hyūga clan would reject or shun Naruto for his burden and emotional nature. That fear had been unfounded. The Hyūga children, most importantly Hinata and even Neji, accepted Naruto. The parents warmed to the child when they were confident their children weren't in danger and when Hiashi and Hizashi spoke highly of Naruto.

Only a few members of the Clan were openly critical of Naruto. Hajime-sensei, for all his rancor, didn't count because he was going to retire in a few years anyway. A few highly conservative clan councilmen opposed the boy because he was 'a living assault on traditional Hyūga values'. The councilmen, however, didn't go very far in their criticism. Naruto was clearly going to mature into a powerful Ninja even before considering the Kyūbi sealed within his stomach. The shrinking minority saw Naruto as a weapon and tried to push Hiashi into training Naruto as one.

The Clan head refused and reacted strongly to any suggestion that Naruto be treated as less than human. The most telling example of the severe change that had overtaken Hiashi was his removal of Hideo from the council. Hideo had been vocal in his demands that Naruto be transformed into a weapon of the clan and be marked with the Caged Bird Seal. Hiashi exploded and demanded his immediate resignation from the council. Hideo refused and foolishly challenged Hiashi for leadership.

Kō learned last Tuesday that his least favorite second cousin had awoken from his medically induced coma and should be able to eat solid food at the end of the week. Hideo was a symptom of a changing Hyūga clan. The young and former councilmember was zealous in his use of the Cursed Seal. There was no backlash against Hiashi for Hideo's demolishing. Hiashi and Hizashi's public reconciliation was also thawing relations between the branches.

"A ryo for your thoughts, Kō-kun?" Hiromi's voice snapped Kō from his thoughts.

"I was thinking of how our clan has changed in the past few months, Hiromi-sama."

The matriarch of the clan smiled warmly. "Hiashi-kun has embraced the belief that we should be a family in addition to being a Clan."

"I mean no disrespect, Hiromi-sama, but that belief will anger some of the more… conservative elements of the clan council." Kō truly meant his words. The council could be underhanded at times. They had forced Hisao-sama had been forced aside after his disastrous attempt to secure more power on the Konoha council. The 'Old Man' had only avoided being stripped of all influence because his sons respected him.

"The Clan Council will not move against Hiashi-kun. Hizashi-kun and the Branch House have given my husband their full support. I can't tell you how happy it has made me to see those two acting like brothers again."

Kō nodded and left the compound as soon as Hiromi-sama returned to her garden. He practically raced across Konoha. Kō was going to visit an old friend and ask for a favor.

* * *

"You want me to do what?" Suzu looked at her former teammate's reflection in the mirror. She was changing her nephew's diaper because the boy's father was on a mission to the Land of Tea.

Kō smiled weakly. "I was wondering if you and Yuji could help me train Naruto in taijutsu and genjutsu."

Suzu washed her hands and picked up her nephew. After she put the sleeping infant in his crib, the two Chunin left the room.

"He's _four_."

Kō sighed in defeat. "I know. I don't want to do this either! The council is threatening to take Naruto's education out of my hands! They want him to be on the same level as _Neji_. I _like_ the little fireball and don't want to lose him."

The former Kuruma clan member leaned against the wall. "They can't do that can they? I mean, Hiashi-sama appointed you. Besides, from what you've told me and Yuji, Neji is a prodigy."

"The council agreed with the appointment, but they have ultimate authority over Naruto's teachers. It was one of the concessions Hiashi-sama and Hizashi-sama had to make in order to get some swing votes in favor of Patronage. And yes, Neji is beyond brilliant."

"Yuji is going to be back from reporting his mission soon. You know, I never expected such responsibility from you. First you become a Hyūga tutor, then you start helping with the heiress and finally you practically adopt a kid."

Kō chuckled. Suzu, Yuji and now Naruto were the only people the Hyūga Chunin freely showed his emotions around. "I had to grow up sometime, I guess."

"Yep! I mean, you were responsible for the Land of Noodles incident."

Yuji wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and grinned. The Jonin managed to sneak into the house completely unnoticed. "You know, neither of you have ever told me that story."

"NEVER!" Kō yelled in panic.

"Ok, ok. So, what brings you to our humble home, Kō? I hope it's to ask us to go drinking." The Jonin smirked.

"If that's what it takes to get you to agree to teach Naruto the basics once a week."

"Naruto?" Kō shook his head as Suzu snickered. He launched into the events of the last few months starting with the attempt by Kumo to kidnap Hinata.

Yuji whistled as Kō's story wound to a conclusion. "The little bastard attacked a Jonin with a trashcan's lid?"

Kō nodded numbly. He hadn't known Naruto then, but the possibilities of what could have been scared him horribly.

Suzu and Yuji whispered to each other for a moment. The couple returned their attention to their old friend. "Alright, we'll help him out. Nothing serious, mostly taijutsu and maybe a bit of ninjutsu. The little guy isn't a Kurama so it is too early for him to start genjutsu."

"So, what will I have to do in exchange?" Something was screaming at him to reject the offer. The veteran's sense that things were going to shit was blaring in his mind.

"You're going to have to tell Yuji the story about what happened in the Land of Noodles."

Kō wept.

* * *

Naruto was running for his life. He ran across the courtyard laughing despite his desperate situation.

"You aren't getting away, Naruto!" Neji yelled as he chased his chosen target.

"SAFE!" Hinata yelled as she reached the statue of the Hyūga clan's founder. Naruto called on every bit of energy he had and reached out for the statue and safety. Unfortunately, Neji managed to tag his shoulder.

"You got me Neji-niisan!" Naruto tried to sound disappointed but was having too much fun to complain.

Neji flopped onto a bench next to his cousin and Naruto. "You're pretty fast, Naruto."

"Thanks, Neji-niisan. I may be fast, but Hinata-sama is sneaky. She's the only one who got to the statue."

A pair of winded retainers entered the courtyard followed shortly by a relaxed Kō. "I told you too, it'd be too troublesome to chase them like that."

The children laughed at the tired old people. "Hinata-sama and Neiji-san, it is time for dinner."

Naruto looked at Kō. "We have to go don't we?"

"I'm afraid so, Naruto. You can tell me about your lesson on the way back."

"Kay. I heard Hiromi-sama say you visited some of your friends today."

Kō couldn't help but smile around Naruto. "I did. I talked to them about you."

"Huh?" Naruto stopped and looked really confused.

"I did. They are really good ninja and they are going to teach you some taijutsu and ninjutsu."

Naruto's jaw hit the floor. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Really?" Naruto was bouncing on his feet now.

"Yes, Naruto. They are really going to train you."

The blond leapt into the air and cheered. There was a moment where Kō swore he saw Hiashi or Hizashi laughing in the courtyard.

The first day of Naruto's training with Kō's former teammate and her husband finally came. The excitable blond rushed ahead of his caretaker. Naruto had to stop and wait for Kō on a street corner. The outgoing boy saw another kid his age waiting for someone on the same corner.

"Hi! You waiting for your nii-san too?"

The dark haired boy turned and stared at his overly loud counterpart. "Hn. I am."

"I'm Naruto! What's your name?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Nice to meet Sasuke-san!"

A Military policeman rushed over. "Is this… boy harassing you, Sasuke-kun?"

Naruto looked confused, but saw Kō moving through the crowd. "There's nii-san! Nice meeting you, Sasuke-san and Police-san!"

Naruto rushed over to Kō and didn't see the angry glares exchanged between Kō and the Uchiha.

Sasuke looked up at his clansmen. "You don't like that Naruto. Why?"

The policeman looked uncomfortable. "Sasuke-kun, you will have to talk to your father."

The officer left as Itachi arrived. Sasuke quickly pushed thoughts of the obnoxiously loud Naruto from his head. He was going to train with his older brother today! Maybe when he got home, he'd ask his father about Naruto. If his father thought Naruto was an enemy of the clan, Sasuke would become strong enough to beat him and earn his father's recognition!

Naruto's long range planning was nonexistent compared to Sasuke's. The most pressing concern on the young Uzumaki's mind was starting his new training today with nii-san's friends and then going to the Hyūga compound to see Hinata-sama and Neji-niisan tomorrow.

"We're here, Naruto." Kō smiled his little brother. _Did I just think that? I guess I did._

Yuji and Suzu were sitting on the front porch of a small home. Yuji was carving an apple with a knife and Suzu was relaxing with a strange tropical drink.

_Oh no. It can't be. She's _taunting _me._

Yuji looked up. "So, this is the tyke who bashed a Cloud Jonin with a trashcan top."

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "It was something big to hit the bad ninja with."

Yuji let a long rumbling laugh. "A good strategy!"

Suzu sat her drink down. "Hello, Kō."

"Suzu, Yuji. Thank you again for agreeing to help with Naruto."

"Nii-san, why aren't you using honorifics?" Naruto was confused. Nii-san always stressed the need for honorifics when talking to people.

Kō told Naruto he'd explain later. Yuji and Suzu looked down from the porch. "We'll take good care of him."

Naruto nervously waved goodbye to Kō. Nii-san had told Naruto a million times that Suzu and Yuji were his friends and that Naruto could trust them.

"Bye Nii-san!"

"I will see you in a few hours Naruto!" Kō waved and left.

"Naruto-kun are you ready to begin learning how to be a ninja?" Yuji asked with a broad grin on his face.

"Kun? Everyone calls me chan. But, yeah! I'm ready!"

"Well, anyone starting training is a big boy right? So, that means they get kun instead of chan!" Suzu watched the exchange between her husband and the child. It warmed her heart.

"Thanks, Yuji-sensei!" Naruto pumped his fist. Yuji held out his hand for a five and Naruto slapped his new teacher's hand.

"Good one, Naruto-kun. So, you're friends are all Hyūga, eh?" The jonin asked as he led his young student to the back yard.

"You're my friend, Yuji-sensei and so is Suzu-sensei and you two aren't a Hyūga."

_This kid is a breath of fresh air. _"Thank you. Well, most of your friends are Hyūga. They use Gentle Fist. It is very short range. So, we're going to teach you a style that helps out a lot."

Naruto's face lit up at the thought of helping Hinata-sama, Kō-niisan and Neiji-niisan.

"Alright Naruto. I want you to copy my stance." Yuji slid into a stance and Naruto tried his best to copy it. The jonin got out of his stance. "Hold it. I'm going to make sure you are getting it right."

Naruto almost moved, but listened to his teacher. "Not bad, but here is what you need to do…"

* * *

Time passed quickly for Naruto and his narrow, childish focus blinded him to the profound changes his presence was bringing to his world. His training with Yuji and Suzu had lasted only a few months before Suzu-sensei's pregnancy was too far along to continue. One day, Naruto overheard Kō and his teachers talking. Suzu was laughing and telling nii-san that 'it was all cute little Naruto's and your fault for this!' Naruto had panicked that night and wanted to go and apologize to his teachers, but Kō explained that Suzu and Yuji were actually very happy. They even wanted Naruto to be the child's big brother when the baby was born. All of Naruto's melancholy disappeared at that declaration.

Unfortunately, that momentary worry had later been replaced by the first true tragedy of Naruto's life. The situation actually began with a joy. Hiromi gave birth to her second daughter, Hanabi. Naruto, Hinata and Neiji had all been really excited. Then, Hiromi had started getting really sick and then passed away. The day Naruto found out Hinata's mother had died was the worst day of his life. He cried for a full hour while Kō hugged him and tried his best to explain why Hiromi-sama was gone. Naruto often had trouble remembering what was in front of him, but he never forgot important parts of his past. The blond could recite Kō, Neji and Hinata's birthay's from memory. He would always remember what Kō had said to chase away the tears.

"_Hinata-sama will need you as a friend more than ever. You will have to be strong for her."_

The month that followed had been hard. Naruto and Hinata had cried throughout the funeral. Uzumaki found himself taking double notes in Hajime-sensei's lessons. He couldn't let Hinata fall behind! Neji and Naruto were also trying everything in their power to make Hinata smile again. Hiashi was maintaining his façade of the stoic clan leader and burying himself in his work. However, Hiashi was treated his daughters with a softer touch. His brother had convinced him to hold his daughters close as they were the living embodiment of Hiashi and Hiromi's love for each other. Hiashi never spoke openly, but he knew that if he didn't have Hizashi, Hiashi would have closed himself off completely.

Today, Naruto was going to try again to bring Hinata out of her shell. "Hinata-sama!"

The girl had quickly left the classroom and was far ahead of the group. She 'eeped' and turned around. Naruto always wondered why she did that whenever he called out to her.

"Yes… Naruto-kun?"

Naruto put every bit of hope and good cheer into his smile that he could. "Kō-niisan is taking me to the park. Do you want to come with us?"

Hinata quickly looked to the ground and began twiddling her fingers. "I… I guess. I will have to ask Father."

"Yatta!" Naruto had finally learned not to jump and shout at the top of his lungs in the compound. He was still more emotional than any Hyūga and Hinata was grateful for it.

Hiashi was taking care of paper work when Hinata and Naruto found him. "Hinata, Uzumaki-san, is there something you need?"

"Ano, father… Can I go to the park with Naruto-kun and Kō-san?"

Hiashi looked up for the first time. "Did you pay attention to Hajime-sensei's lesson?"

"Yes, father." Hinata struggled to meet her father's gaze.

Naruto saw Hiashi's mask soften for the first time since the funeral. "Of course. Enjoy yourself. Remember to be back in time to get ready for Neji's dinner. You know he starts the Academy tomorrow."

"Thank you father." Hinata bowed before leaving.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama!" Naruto didn't _quite_ shout as he bowed as well.

The park was full of children and Naruto's heart leapt as Hinata really smiled when they arrived.

Kō pulled Naruto aside. "Naruto, remember to keep your eye on Hinata-sama. You are her friend and her protector. But never forget you are both children. Have fun and for god's sake stay out of trouble."

Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and the two ran off. Kō chuckled and decided to get lunch. The heiress and the orphan finally got a chance to act their age. Naruto pushed Hinata on a swing and they played tag with a group of civilian children. Hinata had to politely avoid several questions about her Byakugan, but she was having the most fun since her mother died. It still hurt to think about, but Hinata knew her mother would want her to be happy. The Hyūga found herself laughing at Naruto's antics on the slide.

She was enjoying almost everything about the park. Her only fervent wish was that Naruto would stop calling her Hinata-sama and call her Hinata-chan. She took comfort in the fact that her best friend put more emphasis on the 'Hinata' instead of the 'sama'.

Eventually, the pair wandered away from the slides and to the other side of the park. A small pack of girls stomped past and completely ignored Naruto's greeting. Hinata felt flustered again as Naruto grabbed her hand and pulled her in the direction the girls came from.

"I want to see what got them so mad, Hinata-sama."

He was so enthusiastic. Naruto never hid his feelings like her clan. Instead, he merely calmed down for a period. The blond would have made a terrible Hyūga and Hinata wouldn't trade his friendship for anything. He had saved her from loneliness after her mother's death. Hinata would never forget that. The pair eventually found the source of the commotion. A blond girl they had never met before was sitting next to a crying pink haired girl. The blond, named Ino, explained what had happened. She quickly pushed Naruto away and grabbed Hinata.

Naruto started to protest but Ino smiled. "It's _girl stuff_. I'm only borrowing Hinata-chan for a minute!"

The blond flopped to the ground and rested his chin on his hand. He grumbled the entire time.

"Sakura-chan! I found someone who'll back me up." Ino shouted so loud, Naruto couldn't hear his own grumbling.

Sakura looked up between sobs. "Do I really have a freaky big forehead?"

Hinata had no idea what to say. She had spent almost her entire life in the Hyūga compound but when she left she was always with Naruto, her father, Kō or Neiji. Thus, she never had any experience with being bullied. Hinata looked at Sakura's forehead. Was it big?

She didn't know, but she couldn't stand to see anyone cry. Hinata had seen enough tears over the last month to last a lifetime. "No, Sakura-chan, you don't have a big forehead."

"Really?" The tears were slowing down.

"I promise as a Hyūga that you don't have a big forehead." Ino sat down next to Sakura.

"She promised on her clan name. That's a big deal so you know she's telling the truth!" Ino didn't hear Naruto mumble about how anyone could be so loud.

"Thank you." Sakura said as she wiped her eyes.

Hinata bowed. "You are welcome."

Ino smiled broadly at Hinata. "Thanks, I think you need to check on your friend. It's like if he's still for more than a minute he starts to go crazy."

Naruto was glad that the wait was finally over. "What kind of stuff were you talking about?"

Naruto wasn't trying to be nosy, but he was so naturally curious he couldn't help himself. "Girl Stuff."

Hinata winked as she spoke and started walking off. "Oh come on, Hinata-sama! That's not an answer."

"Yes it is!"

"Nah-uh!"

Hinata whirled around and faked-glared at Naruto. He froze for a second when the horrifying image of an angry Neji, Hiashi and Kō flashed in his mind.

"You're it!" Hinata pushed a bit on Naruto's shoulder and took off running.

"No fair!" He shouted as Hinata ran into the woods surrounding the park. Hinata was much better at hiding than Naruto. It was going to be tough to find her.

"I told you I was sorry!" That was Hinata! Naruto heard the distress in her voice and sprinted in the direction of her voice.

"Not good enough, _hime_! You better promise not to tell anyone we're skipping!"

"I… I'm sorry. Just leave me alone, please."

Naruto jumped over a stump and saw the three punks harassing Hinata.

"Oi! She asked nicely! Leave her alone!" Naruto practically growled at the three older boys.

Each of the bullies were first year academy students and much bigger than Hinata or Naruto. The leader, a boy wearing a blue pocketed jacket and a red cap, took a step forward and pointed his finger at the interloper.

"Look _kid_! She's going to rat us out for skipping class! So, _you _run away and let us deal with this!"

"The answer is no to everything you said! Come on, Hinata-sama, let's go, home." Naruto spat at the boys, but his tone was warm when he spoke to Hinata.

Hinata slowly started to move towards Naruto, but the tallest boy pushed her. "Don't even think!"

Naruto was growing angrier and angrier. "Apologize!"

The three boys all turned towards Naruto. "What?"

"I told you jackasses to apologize!" Naruto didn't know what a jackass was but he had heard that Yuji-sensei called an enemy ninja one once.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" The fat bully with a bandana shouted.

"Her best friend, now apologize!" Naruto shouted right back.

The leader had heard enough and threw a punch at Naruto. "Shut up you guard dog!"

Naruto had trained with Neji and a jonin for months before meeting these kids. The punch seemed to move in slow motion. The blond blocked the punch and punched the jacketed boy right back. Naruto got tunnel vision and didn't react in time to Bandana's punch.

"Leave Naruto-kun alone!" Hinata yelled and activated her Byakugan. The lanky boy that pushed her took a surprised step back when he saw the active Dojustsu. He recovered quickly and attacked. Hinata yelped as she dodged the first clumsy strike.

The leader and Bandana were about to attack Naruto again when they were distracted by Hinata's shouting. Bandana focused his attention on the Hyūga heiress. He paid for it when Naruto kicked out with his left foot while still on the ground. The heavy-set boy squealed as Naruto's kick hit him square in the groin. Leader shouted a string of curses and entered into an academy taijutsu stance.

Hinata blocked another strike by the lanky boy. His entire chakra network was laid bare before her all seeing eyes. She had to fight back! She was the Hyūga heiress and she couldn't disappoint her father by being beaten! Hinata's most important reason for her to fight back was less than three feet away. Naruto-kun needed _her_ help. She had not lied to herself when she declared that Naruto had saved her after mother's death.

Hinata cried out and struck the boy's shoulder and thigh with a decisive Gentle Fist combination. The lanky boy screamed in pain as he collapsed. Hinata hoped she hadn't really hurt him. She rushed to Naruto's aid without a second glance.

The lead bully charged Naruto and lashed out with a series of punches. Yuji-sensei would have chewed Naruto out for being so sloppy. Naruto ducked under a hook punch that went far too wide and kicked the academy student hard in the gut. He stumbled backwards and straight into Hinata's Jukken strike to both his arms.

"Hinata-sama! Naruto!" The blond didn't turn to face the voice, he kept his focus on the bully. His arms were limp and he was kneeling over in pain but Naruto wasn't going to give him an opportunity to even glare at Hinata.

"Naruto-kun! It's Kō-san and some other adults!"

Kō had his Byakugan active and was leading a first year Academy instructor named Iruka, a Uchiha policewoman and a Yamanaka teenager.

Hinata was nervous. She and Naruto had just been in a fight and probably hurt their attackers badly. The Uchiha's glares in Hinata's direction were making her feel even more self-conscious. Suddenly, Hinata realized the glare wasn't directed at her at all. The Uchiha was directing her hateful eyes at Naruto.

"I hope _all _of you can explain yourselves." The policewoman's eyes never stopped boring into Naruto.

Kō was not amused by the accusations the Uchiha woman was throwing at Naruto. "I'm sure that Naruto and Hinata-sama were merely defending themselves."

Iruka saw the boiling argument. "We can continue this discussion at the Academy. Besides, I can take my students to the infirmary."

Naruto fell in beside Hinata as they walked towards the Ninja academy. It was obvious to everyone that Naruto was making sure he was always between his friend and the Academy students. Kō was proud of Naruto and scared for him at the same time. Hiashi was going to chew all of them out. It was not going to be pretty.

The Uchiha questioned the Academy students first. After she was satisfied with their answer, she tried to interrogate Naruto alone. Kō would have none of it. He demanded as Naruto's guardian to be present and brought Hinata with him. The questioning was infuriating. Officer Sachiko was clearly aimed at angering Naruto. Kō managed to keep Naruto calm and did everything he could to keep Hinata confident.

Iruka was the last to be questioned. He clearly stated that the three boys were troublemakers. Their accusations that the Hyūga heiress and her 'thug' jumped them lost all credibility when Sachiko was reminded the boys were skipping.

Uchiha Sachiko was clearly disappointed she couldn't charge Naruto with anything and let them go. Iruka apologized to the Hyūga and promised he'd move for expulsion for the boys.

Kō led Hinata and Naruto back to the Hyūga compound. He was going to ask the Clan to commend Instructor Iruka and file a complaint against that horrid Uchiha woman. He was glad for his anger because it distracted him from the firestorm to come.

Hizashi stood behind his brother as they listened to Kō's report on what had happened in the park. The Clan head leaned forward.

"Hinata, before the _hooligans_ accosted you what exactly happened?"

Hinata focused on keeping her posture perfect. "Naruto-kun and I were playing tag. I was running from Naruto-kun because he was it. I ran into the woods and tripped over one of the Academy students. They started yelling about how I was going to get them caught."

"Continue." Naruto squirmed at Hiashi's tone. Hinata hadn't done anything wrong!

"I told them I didn't know what they were talking about and tried to leave."

Hiashi nodded. "Uzumaki-san, explain what you saw."

Naruto's mouth was suddenly dry. "I found Hinata-sama trying to walk away from the jerks. They were disrespectful and I told them to leave her alone. The Leader told me to leave so they could 'deal' with her. Hinata and I tried to leave again. They pushed Hinata and I demanded they apologize. They refused and we fought."

Hizashi spoke for the first time. "The Uchiha said you used harsh language, Naruto. Your actions reflect upon this clan. What did you call the attackers?"

"Jackasses…" _Oh man, Hiashi-sama and nii-san are going to chew me out._

"Why?" Hizashi asked in a cold tone.

"Because I was angry that they were mean to my best friend!" Naruto never responded like a Hyūga. "What did you want me to do? Let them talk to Hinata-sama like that?"

Kō was about to chastise Naruto when Hiashi spoke. "Your loyalty to my daughter is commendable. In the future, I ask you watch your language, Uzumaki-san. Now, I want both of you to recount the fight."

Hinata was quiet in her telling of the fight. She focused mostly on her mistakes. Naruto was the opposite. He gestured with his hands and obviously embellished Hinata's actions and his own. Hiashi dismissed the children.

Hinata and Naruto walked quietly through the halls. Hinata kept glancing over at Naruto. He had protected her! And he did it because she was his _best friend_ not just because she was the heiress. Her head was swimming.

"Ano… Naruto-kun…"

Naruto smiled. "What is it Hinata-sama?"

She tugged at the bottom of her shirt and looked away. "I was wondering… You don't have to call me Hinata-sama all the time."

"But Kō-niisan says I should be respectful."

_You respect me more than anyone! _She wanted to scream that thought, but couldn't bring herself to do so. "Ano… How about you call me Hinata-sama when adults are around? You could call me Hinata-chan when it's just us or other kids."

Naruto cocked his head to the side as he thought about it. Hinata felt her hopes sink. _He's going to say no…_

"Ok!" Naruto looked around quickly. "Hinata-chan!"

She smiled the rest of the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto groaned as he got to his feet. Neji-niisan had suckered the blond with a kick. Gentle Fist style relied almost completely on punches. Kicks were almost never expected from a Hyūga. The Jinchūriki knew he was beat. He had the stamina to keep up with Neji over long sparring matches, but couldn't match Neji's skill.

_Yet!_ Naruto thought as he ritually bowed to Neji after their match. Truthfully, Naruto hadn't done badly at all. He had landed several strikes on the prodigy. The only other child in the compound who would even _enter_ the sparring circle with Neji was Hinata. Neji always won, but there were no hard feelings.

"You are getting better, Naruto." Neji sipped at his water.

Naruto grinned. "Heck yeah! I've been training hard, Neji-niisan. When I get to the Academy, you better look over your shoulder. I'm going to be pushing you for the top spot the moment I get there!"

"If it's fate." The genius shrugged.

Naruto stretched. "What is it with you and that fate stuff?"

"We all have a destiny, Naruto."

The blond mimicked Neji's previous action. "I guess so. What's your destiny?"

Neji took a deep breath. "I don't know. Fate isn't something that runs at you screaming that its coming. It reveals itself to you."

"That's deep, Neji-niisan. I'm impressed."

Neji smirked. "Well, it's easy for _geniuses_ to impress simpletons like you."

"Oi! You want to go another round?" Naruto huffed indignantly.

Neji always knew how to get a rise out of his younger friend. "I have homework for the Academy to do. We'll spar again tomorrow. Why don't you check on Hinata-sama?"

"Yeah, yeah. You know I'm going to beat you tomorrow."

"You said that yesterday, the day before…"

"Shove it Neji!" Naruto laughed and Neji half-chuckled. Naruto swore that he would get Neji to _really_ laugh almost as much as he swore he was going to beat Neji in a match one day.

Naruto had been spending more time at the Hyūga compound lately. It had been two weeks since the fight in the woods and Hiashi wanted Hinata and Naruto to step up their training. Naruto loved training, but he knew he was being run ragged. He was the only non-Jukken user available and was always being asked to spar by the other Hyūga children. Naruto was more than happy to help, but not right now. His spars with Neji always took a lot out of him. He entered the Main Branch Dojo and looked around for Hinata. The blond didn't really understand, or like, the concept of Main and Branch families. Thus, he always tried to switch between the two dojos. Hiashi and Hizashi evidently liked Naruto's idea and began encouraging the children of both families to switch between the two training areas.

The Hyūga Council didn't like it, but Naruto didn't care about them. The Council always looked down their noses at Hinata, Neji and was even whispering bad things about Hiashi and Hizashi. The boy couldn't understand how anyone could say anything bad against his friends like that.

Naruto finally found Hinata. She was about to start a match against an older Branch Family boy. He was due to enter the Academy next semester. Hinata and Naruto were still a year away. Hajime-sensei gave the signal to begin.

Hinata and Ichiro circled each other for a moment before the attack began. Ichiro entered into a standard combination. Naruto knew from painful experience that blocking was foolish against a Jukken user. Blocks simply gave a Hyūga more opportunities to shut your chakra down. Hinata had an advantage over most Jukken users. She was a natural at dodging even without her Byakugan. Hinata dodged a pair of attacks and launched into her favorite combo. Naruto always smiled when she used it. The blond hadn't seen his best friend drop the lanky bully with it, but he knew it was effective. The combo shut down the shoulder's chakra and disrupted chakra flow to the upper leg near the hip. The victim often lost balance after the combo and was wide open.

Ichiro, to his credit, didn't fall over like most people. He did stumble, but remained on his feet. The Branch member even landed a glancing blow on Hinata's right arm. Hinata remembered Naruto's fight with the three punks and lashed out with her right leg. There was a solid hit and Ichiro exhaled sharply and fell to his side.

"Winner, Hinata!" Hajime-sensei shouted proudly. Hinata helped Ichiro to his feet and apologized for hitting him so hard. Ichiro assured Hinata he was fine and thanked her for the match before leaving.

"Great job, Hinata-sama!" Naruto fell back on the 'proper' honorific because Hajime-sensei and a few other adults were around.

Hinata was winded from the spar. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

"That's smoke!" Hyūga Izumi cried out. The best friends whirled around.

Hizashi ran out of his office. Hiashi soon appeared as well with his Byakugan active. "That's the Uchiha district! Hajime-sensei, make sure the children remain inside the compound. Hizashi, gather a few of our people. I want those with basic first aid and strong Byakugan. That fire is nearly out of control!"

Hizashi rushed to gather the best the compound had to offer. Hinata chewed her lip. "I hope no one is hurt."

* * *

The Uchiha District Fire was a major event. Tensions ran high in the village due to the location of the Fire's origin. The fire started near the debtor's prison and spread towards the economic heart of the Uchiha Clan. Hiashi, Hizashi and the other Hyūga's timely arrival did not help matters. The prestige of the Hyūga clan was rising while the Uchiha had taken a serious blow.

The shifting political situation did not directly affect Naruto. He was sad that several people had died but their deaths did not hurt as deeply as Hiromi's death.

A few weeks later, Naruto had his second encounter with Uchiha Sauske. Naruto was waiting for Neji to get out his classes at the Academy. Hinata wasn't with him because her father had begun her education for running the clan. Sasuke was throwing kunai at some training dummies.

"Nice throw!" Naruto didn't immediately recognize Sasuke from his encounter nearly a year ago. The Uchiha, however, recognized Naruto instantly.

"What do you want?" Sasuke was trying his best to avoid a conversation. His father hadn't told Sasuke much about Naruto other than the boy had a dangerous secret that even Naruto wasn't aware of.

The Uchiha's tone wasn't lost on Naruto. "Just trying to be nice. I'm sorry for the loss of your clansmen."

Sasuke shot Naruto a venomous glance. "Why would you care? _You _all benefited from it!"

"How would I benefit? I'm six!"

"I meant the Hyūga." Sasuke returned to his practice.

"But I'm not Hyūga. I don't have the Byakugan." Naruto tried not to take it personally. Sasuke was probably still upset about his clan tragedy.

"No, you're their lapdog." Sasuke was angry. One of his favorite cousins had died in the fire. The quick arrival of the Hyūga seemed incredibly convenient to the young Uchiha. "Are you going to go to the Academy next year?"

Personal tragedy or not, Naruto was not amused by the tone. He chose to ignore Sasuke's barb. Kō-niisan and Hinata had attempted to teach him to be diplomatic. He'd much rather leave that stuff to Hinata or Hiashi and simply be a Ninja.

"I will be going to the Academy."

Sasuke stopped his practice and smirked. "I'm going to beat you."

Naruto smirked back. "So, we're rivals?"

"Hn. I guess."

Naruto's smirk became a full on smile. "I'm looking forward to it. We'll keep each other on our toes and we'll both get stronger."

The bell rang and Naruto's goodbye was completely ignored by the Uchiha. Naruto found Neji talking with a group that included a girl that reminded the blond of a panda for some reason.

"Hey! Neji!" Naruto waved as he ran over.

"Naruto!" Neji shouted back and said a quick goodbye to the group. "What brings you here?"

"Nii-san is training to start going on real missions again." Naruto shrugged.

"And Hinata-sama?"

"Some boring lessons on dealing with money."

Neji _almost_ laughed at Naruto's expression. "Hinata-sama _is_ the heiress."

Naruto continued to pout. "Would it kill you to laugh, Neji?"

"It actually would. My Caged Bird Seal would erupt like a volcano."

"Oh no!" Naruto actually _squeaked_.

Neji suddenly realized that deadpan humor was completely lost on Naruto. "Are you heading back to the compound with me?"

"I was thinking food."

"You're always thinking food!" Neji shot back.

In spite of Neji's gift with the Byakugan and Naruto's naturally inquisitive nature, neither saw the glare of utter contempt from one of the newest teachers.

* * *

"Nii-san! The sun's up! Come on! Today's the day!" Kō glared hatefully at the clock that was cruelly blinking 5:45am.

"Troublesome." Kō grumbled into his pillow. _Maybe my mother actually was a Nara…_ "I'll be there in a second."

He sat up in his bed and then suddenly laughed. He and Naruto had almost the exact same conversation the first time Kō mentioned he would tech Naruto. The reactivated Hyūga Chunin emerged a few minutes later to Naruto frying eggs.

Naruto had also elevated himself to sainthood. If the Hokage, god forbid, dropped dead today Kō would have nominated his adopted little brother in a second. There was a pot of coffee already made.

Kō poured a cup and sat down. Naruto truly was his little brother, but damn it, Kō liked to sleep. The young blond really had to stop waking him up so early whenever a big day came along.

"Naruto, do you have everything you need for today?" Kō sipped at his coffee.

"I do, nii-san." Naruto slid the eggs onto a plate and walked to the table.

The pair ate their breakfast quickly. Naruto because he was Naruto and Kō ate quickly because he had a full day of reactivation exams.

"I almost forgot something." Kō rummaged around in his Flak jacket. "You need your own key to the apartment. I'll be going back on missions soon and you'll need to get into the house."

"Thanks nii-san!" Naruto finished eating and washed his dishes. Kō and the Hyūgas had spent three years desperately teaching Naruto manners and proper behavior. The boy, to the dismay of the Hyūga Council, would never reach the lofty standards of the clan. Naruto was leaps and bounds above most children his age.

Kō got up from the table. "Well, we both have a lot to do. You have to sit through lectures and deal with your 'rival' while I get to spend ten hours at Training Ground 44."

Naruto noticed that his big brother shuddered when he mentioned Training Ground 44. The child realized it was likely one of those things he shouldn't ask about. Like the Land of Noodles. Naruto had once asked if there was a land where ramen noodles came from and had become very confused when Kō nearly choked.

The pair of brothers parted as they left the apartment complex. The older brother headed towards the Hokage's tower to meet with the proctor for his reactivation exams. Naruto headed towards the Hyūga compound to meet with Hinata and Neji. The last Uzumaki didn't really like the civilian areas of Konoha. The villagers weren't mean or threatening to him. They simply pretended he didn't exist. Occasionally, he would overhear whispers about 'it'. Naruto wasn't sure what 'it' was, but the villagers were uncomfortable talking about 'it'.

Naruto simply shrugged his shoulders and hurried to the Hyūga compound. The Branch Family guards noticed the blond running down the street and waved. Hinata and Neji were leaving as Naruto came to a skidding stop. Hinata was giggling and teasing Neji about 'his eternal rival'. The older Hyūga was clearly flustered.

Naruto smirked. "So, you've got a rival too?"

Neji knew _exactly_ what was about to happen. They were getting him back for all the sparring matches. "Yes, Naruto I have an 'Eternal Rival'. His name is Rock Lee."

"My rival is some Uchiha that will be in our class. I don't remember his name."

Hinata leaned her head to the side a bit. "Ano… Naruto-kun, I think that's the younger son of the Uchiha clan head."

"Really?" Naruto was excited about having an 'epic' rival.

"Yes… I think so. Father and Hizashi-ojisan were talking about our class last night. A lot of children of the major clans are going to be in our class."

Naruto put his arm around Hinata's shoulder and smiled. Hinata immediately went bright red. "You know what that means, Hinata-chan? When the two of us finish at the top of the class people will have to acknowledge how crazy awesome we are!"

Hinata 'eeped' and nodded slowly in agreement. She was too shocked to trust her voice.

And then it happened. A moment Naruto had dreamed of for years. It was the culmination of many of the child's hopes and dreams. Neji finally laughed out loud.

Truly, today was going to be awesome.

* * *

Sasuke hugged his mother and accepted his bento. She couldn't accompany him to his first day of school because of her responsibilities. Mikoto had tried everything she could think of to get off today. Even Fugaku had tried to help reschedule her remedial training. It hurt her that she couldn't see Sasuke off to the first day of school. She considered it one more injustice forced upon the clan.

Sasuke was just as hurt as his mother, but he still had a single bright spot. His father was going with him!

Uchiha Fugaku was waiting on his son. Sasuke ran up and bowed. "Thank you, otou-san."

"You must never forget that you represent the Uchiha Clan. There are expectations for your performance."

Sasuke looked at his father for any signs of approval. There were none. He brutally suppressed his disappointment. "I understand, Father. I have to be like _Itachi_ and be top of my class."

Sasuke loved his brother dearly, but the weight of being compared to Itachi seemed like it was crushing him. His father nodded. The young Uchiha realized he wasn't going to speak and the pair walked towards the Academy.

"There is a personal goal that I _will _accomplish." Fugaku hear the steel in his son's voice and felt pride swell up within him.

"What is that, Sasuke?"

Sasuke took a deep breath to prepare himself. "Uzumaki Naruto will be attending the Academy as well. I want to beat him in everything. I want him to realize that he is simply the Hyūga lapdog and that he could never _dream_ of comparing himself to our clan."

Fugaku stopped walking and put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "I would expect nothing less from my child."

Sasuke looked into his father's smiling eyes. He was proud of him! It was everything he had ever dreamed about. Sasuke swore that he wouldn't simply beat Naruto. He would defeat him completely. Sasuke would continue to make his father proud.

* * *

The crowd in front of the Academy was growing by the minute. Hiashi had joined his daughter and the boy his clan had claimed as a ward. The Uchiha head and his second son were also there. The Ino-Shika-Chō trio and their children were present as well. The Inuzuka matron was there with her youngest child. Naruto noticed that the only family to stand in-between the Hyūga and the Uchiha was the mysterious Aburame clan. Every other person present acted as though the air between the two rival Dojutsu clans was ten degrees colder than it actually was.

After a few minutes of small talk and politicking, the Hokage and two of the instructors emerged from the Academy. The Hokage greeted everyone warmly. Hiruzen made a special effort to acknowledge the major clans and their children. He also smiled at Naruto. The show of affection was not lost on Sasuke who fought to control his annoyance. The Hokage gave a quick speech which was mostly for the few civilian families present.

Naruto recognized one of the instructors. It was Iruka. The young boy hadn't seen the teacher since the fight in the woods. He spoke quickly about helping the children reach their potential as ninja. The second instructor, Mizu spoke of duty and sacrifice.

Parents were given a short time to say goodbyes and good lucks to their children.

Hiashi knelt so that he was eye level with Hinata. "Do your best, I believe in you and I am very proud." He hugged his daughter before turning to Naruto.

"Uzumaki-san. I expect you to do your best."

Naruto bowed. "I promise, Hiashi-sama."

Fugaku was a few feet away speaking with Sasuke. "Never forget that you are Uchiha, Sasuke. Make the clan proud."

The students followed their teachers into the classroom. Naruto sat next to Hinata and was completely oblivious to her blush.

"Good morning everyone! My name is Umino Iruka and this is Uraki Mizuki. We will be your teachers during your time at the Academy."

"Good morning Sensei!" The class chorused.

Mizuki smiled warmly at the class. "We will begin with introductions before taking the rest of the day to get a feel for your abilities."

The class was introduced in alphabetical order. Naruto only recognized a few people. He recognized the two girls, Ino and Sakura, from the day at the park. The blond had also smiled broadly at his best friend's shy greeting. Sasuke had just finished his introduction which centered on how awesome his clan was when it was Naruto's turn.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! My dream is to become a great ninja and protect Konoha!"

Iruka smiled at the class. "Thank you everyone. Now, follow Mizuki-sensei and myself to the training area. We're going to see about your physical and ninja abilities. For those of you who don't have a Bloodline Limit or Clan techniques, don't worry. Not having these will not detract from your scores or standing."

The first test was simply four laps around the track. The class was split into boys and girls. The girls went first. Naruto spent the entire time loudly cheering for Hinata to do her best. The Hyūga heiress focused everything on her laps to keep from fainting. She was so focused that she missed the tense exchange from the male half of the class.

"Hoping that by flattering the Hyūga you'll get more scraps at the table, lapdog?" Sasuke taunted.

Naruto stopped his cheering and glared at the Uchiha. "Seriously, what is your problem?"

"You being such a lap dog." Uzumaki didn't understand! Sasuke _needed_ this confrontation. He had to make his father recognize him!

"Oi! What's wrong with dogs, ya jerk!" One of the other boys stormed over. He was wearing a hoodie with faux fur and had two red tattoos on his face.

"This doesn't concern you, Inuzuka."

The Inuzuka snarled. "Don't be such a pompous ass." He decided that getting into a brawl with the Uchiha on the first day would get him in hot water with his mom. He'd wait at least a week.

"You're Kiba right?" Naruto was just as eager to give Sasuke some space as the Inuzuka.

"That's me! Don't let the Uchiha comparing you to a dog get you down. Dogs are awesome." Kiba smiled showing off his elongated canines.

"Hiashi-sama mentioned your clan's connection with your nin-dogs." Naruto smiled back showing off his own fang-like canines. He didn't know why he had some of his more pronounced features like whisker marks and fangs. Naruto thought they looked cool. Hinata had even called his whiskers 'cute' before turning beet red and covering her mouth with both hands.

Naruto had no idea why she did that. It was probably some Hyūga girl thing.

The girls of the class finished their laps. Hinata came in third behind Ino and some girl named Mayumi. Naruto saw that his best friend was disappointed and tried his best to cheer her up. He didn't have the time he really wanted as Mizuki-sensei ordered the boys to get ready. Naruto was standing next to Sasuke as each boy wanted desperately to outdo each other. A boy with hair like a pineapple grumbled that running laps was far too troublesome.

The blond and the Uchiha promptly tuned him out. All that mattered was beating their rival. Mizuki signaled the run to begin. Sasuke and Naruto bolted from the starting line and left everyone else far behind. Most were pacing themselves.

The two rivals would have none of that! They were going to beat each other and everyone else! Naruto and Sasuke's rampage had them halfway through their second lap before most had finished their first.

Their lungs burned and their muscles were crying out in agony. However, their pride wouldn't allow them to give in to exhaustion. Naruto couldn't believe he was doing this. He was going to be sore as all hell tomorrow. Sasuke was thinking the exact same thing.

Mizuki leaned close to Iruka. "I've never seen two kids go at it like that. They are going to crush the first year record."

Iruka snorted. "And they're going to try to crush each other when they spar at the end of the week."

The teachers rolled their eyes as a strolling Nara Shikamaru finally finished his first lap. Seconds later, the Uzumaki vs Uchiha dust cloud roared by. The two boys had clearly slowed but weren't going to give in or show any sign of weakness. They lapped a few more of their fellows before beginning the last lap. Naruto saw the last corner and dug deep.

_I'm going to beat you Sasuke!_

The young Uchiha saw his rival's renewed effort and cursed in between labored breaths.

_Oh no you don't!_ Sasuke's determination gave him a second wind and he drew even with Naruto.

They were feet away from the finish line. Each boy dove for the line determined to defeat the other.

Iruka and Mizuki had both been timing the race when they noticed the brewing confrontation between Sasuke and Naruto.

"Six Minutes, twenty four seconds and 41 milliseconds!" Both instructors shouted at the exact same time.

The two boys skidded across the blacktop and scrapped up their arms pretty badly.

"Oh no! N… naruto-kun!" Hinata gasped and ran towards her best friend.

"Sasuke-kun!" A horde of fangirls yelled and ran to their obsession.

Hinata reached Naruto first. The boy was facing away and unfortunately, had dry heaves. He quickly composed himself.

"Ano… are you alright, Naruto-kun?" Hinata's concern was evident. She shakily held out a bottle of water.

_She's still flushed. I guess that run winded her more than I thought._ Naruto smiled as he took the water.

"Thanks Hinata-chan!" The pale-eyed girl was about to ask Naruto if he was hurt, but to her shock and amazement his wounds were already healed. "Hey, Hinata-chan… Did I win?"

"Mizuki-sensei and Iruka-sensei say it's a tie, but…" She leaned in close. Naruto all of the sudden felt a bit warmer. It was probably because the sun wasn't blocked by clouds now. "I think you won."

Kiba stumbled over. The Inuzuka keeled over and rested his hands on his knees. "How the hell are you two so fast?"

* * *

The practice ring had quickly been surrounded by the remaining students. It was the match everyone had been waiting for all week. Naruto and Sasuke had drawn each other for their first sparring match of the year. Iruka groaned at the amount of paperwork this fight was going to cause. Mizuki, on the other hand, was clearly looking forward to the fight.

The class had quickly divided into two main camps and a neutral camp. "Team Sasuke" and "Team Naruto" were generally competing in everything. There was also a small neutral group, but that was mainly Chouji, Shikamaru and Shino. Chouji stayed neutral because he was one of the nicest people in the class. Shikamaru thought everything about the competition was far too troublesome. Shino was simply maintaining the Aburame neutrality.

Iruka entered the ring. He generally didn't need to repeat the rules and restrictions of basic spars. These two needed to be reminded that the goal _wasn't_ to kill or maim their opponent. The last thing Konoha needed was the Hyūga and Uchiha going at it in the streets.

"Alright you two, this fight is taijutsu **only**! You will earn points for solid blows. Victory will be determined by points, ring out or knock out. I don't want either of you aiming your attacks between the waist and the knee. No eye gouges or biting either. Finally, for the love of god I know you two probably want to, but you can't kill each other."

Naruto bowed "Very well, Iruka-sensei."

Sasuke merely shrugged. "So be it."

"Begin!"

Naruto and Sasuke circled each other for a moment. The raven haired Uchiha made the first move. He feinted with a punch and spun away from Naruto's block. Sasuke struck out with a backfist. Naruto barely blocked the attack. The blond shifted his weight and pushed his rival away. Each boy switched stances and redoubled their efforts. Naruto launched his attack with an unconventional jump kick-to-crouch-to-uppercut combo. Sasuke easily dodged the jump kick but the punch hit him hard on the underside of his right arm.

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably and was suddenly struck by inspiration. He launched a combo that forced Naruto to react. The blond was good and blocked every strike. Sasuke then began another feint. Naruto clearly saw the false attack and moved to counter what he believed to be the real attack.

Then Sasuke revealed that it was a double feint. The punch hit Naruto in the left side of the chest. The blond gasped for air and fell back for a moment to reassess the situation.

"Sasuke-kun! Show that worthless loser how much better you are than him!" Hinata recognized the voice. It was Haruno Sakura. She had been nothing but rude to Naruto-kun since she founded 'Team Sasuke". The Hyūga heiress wished she hadn't sworn on her clan name that the pink haired fangirl didn't have a big forehead.

Hinata couldn't really pull off the 'Hyūga Ice Glare' like her father or Neji, but even a basic Hyūga glare put most people in their place. The shy girl didn't realize she had shot off a glare.

"G… Go Naruto-kun!"

Hinata 'eeped' and turned bright red. She had just yelled out! Hinata never yelled! Kiba turned and laughed at her.

"Man, Hinata! I didn't think it was possible for you to shout!" He smiled and added his two ryo to Naruto's cause. "Wail on the jerk, Naruto!"

The support of his two friends gave Naruto hope. He lunged at Sasuke knowing the Uchiha was expecting a hot blooded attack. The blond stopped his charge and was rewarded by narrowly dodging a vicious kick. Naruto countered by slugging Sasuke in the face. Unfortunately, it was a glancing blow. Sasuke drop kicked Naruto as he fell. The hit connected and Naruto skidded several feet.

Both boys were winded and bruised. Both utterly refused to give in. They rose shakily to their feet but were shocked when Mizuki called the fight off.

"Naruto Uzumaki left the ring!" Naruto shouted in disbelief and Sasuke pumped his fist.

"He's lying…." Hinata spoke so softly that Kiba didn't hear her. Naruto looked crestfallen when Iruka agreed and silently rejoined his friends.

"I… I'm sorry Naruto-kun. The fight really wasn't over. You didn't fully live the ring. I was proud of you."

Naruto visibly brightened at Hinata's praise. "Thanks, Hinata-chan!"

Kiba slapped his 'pack-mate' on the shoulder. "Honestly, buddy you were kicking his ass!"

Naruto was about to respond when Iruka called out the next fight. "Haruno Sakura and Hyūga Hinata please step into the ring!"

The two girls stepped into the ring. They politely bowed to each other. Internally, each girl wanted to crush her rival.

_Cha! We're going to knock this stuck up princess out of the ring like Sasuke-kun did to blondie!_ 'Inner' Sakura shrieked.

_Defeat her in a manner befitting a proper Hyūga!_ 'Inner' Hinata ordered harshly.

"KICK HER ASS HINATA-CHAN!" Naruto screamed before getting chewed out by Iruka for his language. Hinata and her 'Inner' personality both blushed furiously at Naruto's loud support. 'Inner' Hinata didn't need to be overly emotional. Naruto provided all the outward emotional expression Hinata could ever want or need.

"Ano… Iruka-sensei… Is my Byakugan allowed? I know you said taijutsu only…"

The two teachers nodded at each other. Iruka scratched the back of his head. "I'll allow it."

Sakura entered into a basic stance. Alarm bells started blaring when Hinata flashed a series of hand seals "Byakugan!"

The veins around Hinata's eyes bulged and the faint outline of pupils appeared. The Hyūga heiress _flowed_ into a Jukken stance. Mizuki gave the signal to begin. Sakura leapt at Hinata shrieking like a banshee. The pink haired student slashed with a knife hand strike. The girl with lavender eyes side stepped and hit both of her opponent's arms in a flurry of punches. Sakura gasped when her arms went numb. In desperation, she tried to kick Hinata. Sakura was wide open and Hinata ducked and shut down the chakra in Sakura's left leg.

Mizuki ended the match the second Sakura hit the floor. The fight lasted less than two minutes.

"That's cheating! You could have really hurt me!" Sakura growled as Ino helped her to her feet.

"N..not really… I held, held back a lot. I put m… more chakra into my strikes when I s… spar my three year old sister. S..sorry if you were h…hurt Sakura-san." Hinata confessed quietly. The attention was bringing out her nervous stutter in full force.

"OOOOH! ICEBURN!" Naruto and Kiba shouted. The two boys were obviously hamming it up. Hinata 'eeped' again as she hid her mouth behind her fists.

* * *

The day ended with Iruka and Mizuki handing out report cards. Iruka announced the top three kunoichi and top three ninja. Hinata was the top ranked kunoichi followed by Sakura and Ino. The Hyūga wished she knew a doton so she could sink into the ground when Naruto cheered loudly. She was thankful for her best friend's vocal support, but she was a very shy person naturally.

Naruto's loud theatrics continued when the boys' rankings were announced. Aburame Shino was in third place. Naruto was second and pleased with himself. The last Uzumaki knew who was in first and he was grumbling.

"It'll be ok, Naruto-kun." Hinata tried to both comfort her friend while trying desperately not to giggle at how cute his pouting face was.

Iruka smiled. "First place Uchiha Sasuke! Congratulations Sasuke you are also first overall. Congratulations are due as well to Naruto-kun and Hinata-sama as they finished second and third overall respectively."

Class was dismissed and the children scattered. Some ran straight home to show their parents. Others lingered behind in order to figure out how they would explain their grades. Naruto followed Hinata back to the Hyūga Compound. Kō had told Naruto he would not be back until at least tomorrow morning due to his reactivation training.

They met Hizashi at the gates. The Branch head was congratulating Neji on being top of his class again.

"Hizashi-sama! Neji-niisan!" Naruto greeted warmly.

"Oji-san, nii-san." Hinata was polite as always.

Hizashi nodded. "Welcome home. Hiashi-niisan wants to see you too as soon as possible. How were your marks?"

Naruto spoke first and gestured wildly with his hands. "Awesome, of course! Hinata-chan was ranked first of all the girls. She demolished the number two in their spar today! _Hanabi_-_imoutochan _puts up more of a fight. I doubt any of the teme's fangirls will even want to get in the practice ring with Hinata-chan by the end of the term!"

Hinata blushed under Naruto's praise, but there was a part of her that was worried. He had called Hanabi his little sister. Was that how he thought about her too?

"Excellent work, Hinata. But who is the 'teme'?" Hizashi asked with an amused gleam in his eyes.

Naruto crossed his arms and tried to look angry. "That teme showoff, Uchiha Sasuke."

Neji flashed a knowing smirk. "Your 'epic' rival?"

Naruto growled. "How can the rivalry be epic when Mizuki-sensei is obviously favoring the teme?"

Hizashi narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, Naruto-kun?"

Hinata raised her hand. "Ano… Mizuki-sensei made a _questionable_ call today in the spar. He claimed that Naruto left the ring and gave Sasuke-san the win. It was wrong! Naruto-kun had most of his body in the ring!"

Neji's smirk widened. "Hinata-imouto, did you just use exclamation points?"

Naruto was glad that his best friend was so adamant that he had gotten screwed by Mizuki. On the other hand, he was confused about why she was embarrassed by talking at a volume considered normal by most people.

It was another thing Naruto filed in the 'Hyūga Girl Stuff Hinata Does' folder in the back of his brain.

Hinata and Naruto made their way to Hiashi's office. They arrived as a pair of councilors exited the office. Naruto noticed the two councilors were annoyed. The Uzumaki would never be as good as reading people as Hinata or Neji. However, living with Hyūga for practically his entire life had made him better than most at gauging people's moods and intentions. Granted, it was Hideko and Akihito and they always were annoyed with Hiashi. Naruto secretly called them Teme Number Two and Teme Number Three. Those two were always trying to block Hiashi and Hizashi's attempts to reconcile the two Branches.

_Screw 'em!_ Naruto thought proudly.

"Enter." Hiashi commanded in his 'Clan Head' voice.

Naruto followed his best friend into Hiashi's office.

"Good afternoon, father." Hinata bowed gracefully.

"I hope you shot down, Hideko-sama and Akihito-sama again." Naruto grinned even if calling Teme Number Two and Teme Number Three sama was almost painful.

Hiashi was thankful that his daughter and Naruto had arrived. He had, in fact, just rejected the two councilor's request to end the cross training between Main and Branch children. They had been adamant that Naruto cease his training with the Hyūga as well. The discussion ended when Hiashi 'gently' reminded them of Hideo's similar 'requests'.

"We had a productive discussion. I convinced them to reconsider their position. Enough of unpleasant talk. Tell me of your report cards."

Hinata steeled herself. "We both were successful this semester, otou-san. I was, was, the highest ranked kunoichi and ranked third highest overall. M… mizuki-sensei and Iruka-sensei also commented on my 's… superior chakra control'. I am l…lacking in chakra capacity and my physical endurance isn't to the level it needs to be…"

Hiashi smiled at his daughter. She was becoming far more self-confident with each passing day, but sadly still doubted herself. He supposed that Naruto needed to be thanked for her improvement. Hiashi wanted to cheer for his daughter as loudly as the Yondaime's secret son, but decorum demanded he be restrained.

"I am very proud of you, my daughter. Do not worry; you have plenty of time to work on chakra and physical endurance. I will help you turn those weaknesses into strengths."

The heiress felt light headed. Her father wasn't angry or embarrassed that she wasn't first. He was proud of her grades! "Thank you, otou-san."

Naruto smiled along with his best friend. Hiashi interlocked his fingers and turned his gaze to Naruto. The Clan head was looking forward to Naruto's explanation of his performance. The language was sure to be colorful. Also, he wanted to see what Hinata hadn't mentioned. Naruto could never be accused of holding back his feelings.

"And you, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto's smile broadened to the point his eyes actually closed. "I did great! Not as great as Hinata-chan, though! I mean, she didn't even mention the spar today!"

Hiashi activated the 'Hyūga Superiority Smirk' as Naruto called it. "Do tell."

Naruto had reached an understanding with Hiashi-sama over the past year. Hiashi was fine with Naruto referring to Hinata as 'chan' in private settings. Naruto had at first protested. He claimed that he had to show Hinata the proper respect, especially around her father. Hiashi assured Naruto that he knew how much Naruto respected his daughter. The Clan Head told Naruto 'the simplest action speaks with more clarity than the mightiest shout.' Naruto relented much to the relief of all involved. Though, Naruto insisted on continuing to call Hiashi sama.

"Yeah, Hiashi-sama! Hinata-chan fought Haruno Sakura; the distant number two Kunoichi and number one Sasuke-teme fangirl! Sakura-san looked like she wanted to run and hide when Hinata-chan activated her Byakugan! The match wasn't even a contest! Not only did the fangirl fail to hit Hinata-chan, the fight lasted, like, two minutes tops!"

Hiashi cast a quick glance to his daughter. "Well done, Hinata. You should have told me, that is a worthy accomplishment. I will be sure to bring that up at the council meeting tonight."

Hiashi didn't mention that he was planning on rubbing Hinata's accomplishment into the faces of any fool who dared to consider his daughter weak or not worthy of her position.

"Continue, Naruto."

Naruto nodded and recounted his own spar with Sasuke. The excitable blond spent a good five minutes complaining about how Mizuki-sensei obviously favored the teme and ignored Naruto at every available opportunity. He proudly reported his own position in the class. Naruto was loath to admit that Sasuke beat him however.

Hiashi was smiling warmly at the two children. "I am proud of both of you. I do believe your achievements have earned you the rest of the day off. Enjoy yourselves."

Hinata and Naruto smiled and thanked Hiashi before running to find Neji. The leader of the Hyūga leaned back in his chair and imagined the fun he was going to have rubbing Naruto and Hinata's amazing marks in the faces of the opposition on the council.

* * *

Sasuke had run the entire way home. He was beaming as he made his way through the Uchiha District. Several of his clansmen had asked why he was so excited. Sasuke smiled broadly when a few actually cheered when he told them of his accomplishment. He knew his father wouldn't show such outward praise. He could hope, but he had realistic expectations.

Nothing could dampen his mood, today! He had beaten that lapdog!

Sasuke arrived at his house to a confusing scene. Three of his cousins were in uniform and talking quietly with Fugaku. Itachi was also there, but something was off with Sasuke's beloved older brother.

"The ANBU are under the Hokage's direct command. Even I lack the authority to issue a warrant to one of their number. Itachi has been on missions nonstop for weeks. He is exhausted. I shall ensure he is held responsible for his actions."

The three officers nodded and spoke softly to the Captain before leaving. Itachi cast a harsh glance at Sasuke as he walked off.

_That! That wasn't a normal Sharingan!_ Sasuke's mind reeled at the strange Sharingan his brother possessed.

"Father!" Sasuke called out. Fugaku turned and appraised his second son indifferently.

"What is it Sasuke?"

Sasuke ran up to his father and politely handed his report card over. He was first in his class and top overall in his year. "I also beat Uzumaki in the spar today!"

Fugaku read over the report. The paper blocked his smile. "Why are you so determined to defeat this Uzumaki orphan?"

Sasuke huffed. There was _something_ about Naruto that grated on him. "He's a clanless showoff that deludes himself into thinking he's on the level of an Uchiha infant much less me!"

Fugaku was stunned yet again. _Sasuke, you are a true Uchiha_. "As expected of my child. Come, Sasuke. It is time you learned Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu."

Today was the best day of Sasuke's life. He eagerly followed to the pond on the family ground. His father created a huge fireball with the Jutsu. "You know the seals already, Sasuke. Attempt the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu."

Sasuke ran through the seals and breathed deep. He exhaled and a fireball erupted from his lips. It was nowhere near the size of his fathers.

"Perphaps it was too soon after all." Fugaku sighed and walked off. Sasuke watched the retreating form of his father and his eyes hardened.

_I will prove myself to you, father!_

Fugaku walked past a grove of trees when a shadowed figure called out to him. "Your methods are harsh, Fugaku."

The current clan head never turned around. He smiled at the flashes from Sasuke's determined practice. "It is the best way to reach my son."

The figure grinned. "Do you now understand why I chose him? Itachi is now lost to the Will of Fire. Sasuke is the true heir to our clan's legacy."

Fugaku walked to his waiting wife. She was concerned about her son, but Fugaku's praise silenced her doubts. Father and son barely saw each other over the passing week. Fugaku was absorbed in his own works and Sasuke poured himself into his Academy studies and personal training. The Uchiha head was walking away from another disagreement with Itachi when Sasuke rushed around a corner.

"Please come with me, Father!"

Fugaku turned around. "Even if we trained everyday for a week, I am not confident you could master the jutsu."

"I worked it out Father!"

The steel was back in Sasuke's voice. Fugaku followed his son to the dock and waited eagerly.

_Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!_ Sasuke thought as he signed the hand seals. _I cannot fail!_

Fugaku's mouth dropped at the sight. His second son had just created one of the largest Grand Fireballs he had ever seen.

He turned and walked away. Sasuke couldn't see the pride in his face. Fugaku had to remain a distant dream for his beloved child. The Path demanded nothing less. The leader of the Uchiha could feel his son's heart sink. It was time to stoke the fires that would hone Sasuke into an Avenger.

"As expected of my child. You are now an adult in the eyes of our clan, Sasuke. Wear our crest proudly and with dignity. I give you my blessing."

Sasuke couldn't cry. Tears were not befitting an _adult_ Uchiha! "Thank you, Father."

"And Sasuke, do not follow your brother's path."

Fugaku walked away from his confused son. He loved the boy dearly and his deepest regret was that he would never see his son restore the Uchiha to their rightful position of glory. But…

Fugaku had achieved some measure of immortality in this moment. He would live forever in the memory of his son. Fugaku just wished he could openly show Sasuke the love he deserved. However, he had to make sure Sasuke's hate was pure.

Sasuke's elation blinded him to his father's inner pain.

_Tears are not befitting an adult Uchiha_.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Wow, I wasn't expecting this chapter to be so long. The Uchiha scene was actually going to be much shorter, but I hit a stride and couldn't stop myself.

I hope you enjoy it! Please Review!


	5. Chapter 5

The students filed out of the classroom and went their separate ways. It had been a week since Sasuke had mastered Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu. The weekly spars had just ended. The Uchiha was as disappointed as his rival that there was no 'Uchiha-Uzumaki II' as Kōta had dubbed Naruto and Sasuke's fights. Sasuke was still pleased with his performance. He was in first place overall with twenty-six points. Unfortunately, Naruto and the Hyūga girl were close behind with twenty-one points. The Uchiha would never deny that he disliked the pair, but he respected and was grateful for them. They were more skilled than he would ever admit and pushed Sasuke to greater and greater heights.

Sasuke headed for the shuriken training area behind the Academy. There was someone waiting for him there. He stifled a groan when he recognized Haruno Sakura leaning against a training log. There was a part of his brain telling him to just leave. He couldn't stand his 'fangirls' and Sakura was the most vocal of the horde. Worse, she didn't even come from a traditional clan. Her family was _civilian_. Sasuke admitted that the Haruno family did have a point in their favor; they were bankers.

"Sasuke-kun, I have a favor to ask you." Sakura smiled sweetly.

The Uchiha kept a comfortable distance. "I'm in a good mood so I'll listen."

Sakura brightened immediately. He had spoken to her! "I want you to train me."

"Hn."

The pinkette pretended that the verbal shrug was a 'why' and simply continued. "I can't stand losing to that stuttering Hyūga bitch!"

Sakura suddenly realized what she had said and bit her lip. She hadn't been planning on saying anything like she had just done.

Her outburst caught Sasuke's attention. The need to be the best was driving her forward and he could respect that. "Did you ask me because you think I'm the strongest in the class or because you are a fangirl?"

Sakura surprised Sasuke again. "It's a bit of both to be honest. No point in lying. You're clearly the best and if anyone has way to counter the not-so-Gentle Fist, it's your clan."

It was an open secret that Sasuke was developing into quite the Uchiha supremacist. The fangirls always used complimenting his clan in shallow attempts to get Sasuke's attention. Sasuke realized Sakura's attempt to approach him was grounded in the desire to surpass her rival. The Uchiha could appreciate that desire. He saw the same emotion in Sakura's eyes that he knew his own eyes possessed. They both despised their rivals while giving them a level of grudging respect.

"Alright, let's get started."

It took a moment for Sakura to process what Sasuke had just said. "Thank you, Sasuke. Don't hold back, the china doll certainly won't."

Sasuke laughed. He'd have to remember that one for later. "Show me your taijutsu stance."

Sakura suddenly felt like a rabbit being circled by a bird of prey. "Sakura, your stance is too narrow. No wonder, Hinata can knock you over so easy."

Sakura changed her stance per Sasuke's orders. The pink haired girl knew better than to kid herself into thinking they were suggestions. "Better now, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke nodded. "Much better, now attack me."

"How hard are you going to strike back?"

The raven haired genius arched an eyebrow. He had to admit that the girl was smarter than he thought. "Hard enough."

The number two kunoichi launched herself at her tutor and was soundly trounced in seconds. She got back up and tried again. The result remained the same. After three more attempts, she was exhausted.

"I certainly can't fault your drive." Sasuke smirked at the painting girl. "You need a lot of work. Endurance is your big problem. Also, if you want to beat a Jukken fighter, you need to dodge."

There was a fire in her eyes. "What are we waiting for? Let's keep working!"

No, he definitely couldn't fault her drive.

* * *

"Kiba, you are one of my best friends, but I have to say this. What the hell are you even talking about?"

Naruto pointed with his chopsticks. Kiba simply shrugged. "I'm just saying that we should prank the teme."

It was tempting it really was. There were only four problems: Kō, Hiashi, Hizashi and Hinata. "You're talking about making him drink dog piss. I'd prank him, but I don't want Fugaku and half the military police kicking down my door for killing Sasuke. Don't get me wrong, he's a complete bastard. I just don't think that's a good idea."

Kiba stuffed his face with ramen for a minute. "God, does being in the Hyūga compound drain all fun away?"

"It's the ultimate goal of the council, but father and Hiashi-sama are trying to stop them." A new voice joined the conversation. Neji sat down next to Naruto and ordered some beef ramen and tea.

Naruto patted Neji on the back. "Let me guess, the council tried to ban happiness again?"

The Branch House prodigy chuckled. "Yes. Anyway, what's this about pranking Sasuke?"

Kiba paid Old Man Ichiraku for the ramen before leaning back and nodding 'sup' to Neji. "He's a teme."

Neji rolled his eyes. "We've established that. What's his latest offense against nature?"

A customer three seats down jumped when Naruto slammed his empty bowl down. "He called Hinata-chan worthless."

Neji's Byakugan activated on its own accord. The genius's natural big brother instincts were now fully active. "That bastard! Oh, we are going to make him _miserable._"

Naruto and Kiba spoke in unison. "Welcome to the club."

* * *

Sakura was exhausted, filthy and bruised in more places than she could count. Her parents practically ran her over when she came in the door.

"Sakura-chan! Where have you been? Why are you so beat up?" Her mother was almost frantic.

"We were worried about you dear." Her father was almost calm.

Sakura took a deep breath and tried to contain her excitement. She failed and released her inner fangirl. She squealed. "I've been training with Sasuke-kun!"

Her parents were stunned into silence. "The son of the Uchiha Clan head?"

Sakura nodded happily as thoughts of being connected to the most powerful clan in the village danced in her parents' minds.

Sakura's mother practically dragged her daughter to the kitchen table. "You need to eat."

A plate practically materialized in front of the young girl. Her father sat down next to his daughter. He was very curious about this training. Sakura wasn't exactly trying to hide her bruises.

"What were you working on?

Sakura downed the rice. "Dodging. My taijutsu can't compete with the Hyūga's Jukken. I hate to admit it, but China Doll has been beating me in all our spars."

"China Doll?" Sakura's equally pink haired mother asked from the pantry.

"The infuriatingly fragile looking Hyūga heiress." Sakura blew her bangs out from in front of her eyes. "She's in first place among all the aspiring kunoichi. I have her beat in academics, but she is far and away the best at taijutsu. That bloodline limit of hers doesn't hurt either."

Her father grasped her hand. "Honey, you should be very proud of yourself. Think about it. The only person really competing with you is the heiress of one of Konoha's major clans. She's someone who has been training since she could walk."

"I still want to beat her! I can't stand how fake she is!" The Harunos exchanged worried glances. "Hinata keeps going on about how she isn't any good with Jukken. Then she turns around and taunts me about how she tries harder against her three year old sister! And that annoying Naruto that follows her around like a stray dog is even worse!"

The young girl wasn't sure if the exhaustion was bringing these feelings to the forefront or if something distant was drawing them forth. Sakura suddenly felt cold.

* * *

Naruto sneezed while finishing his homework. He slid his History of the Shinobi System worksheet into his backpack. Kō had been asleep for a few hours already. Evidently, his proctor was working him to the bone. Naruto had never heard of 'Yamato' before, but he must be pretty hard core. It would be a new experience for Naruto when his nii-san started going on missions. Naruto was looking forward to hearing about the missions. The blond was also realistic enough to be worried for Kō.

Naruto brutally suppressed the melancholy thoughts and flopped into bed. The boy lay silently for several minutes staring at the ceiling. There was something _new_ preventing him from sleeping. Naruto never told anyone, but occasionally he would have trouble sleeping. Most of the time it was healthy excitement on big days such as birthdays. Other times, he would have a nagging fear that his life with Kō and the Hyūgas was a cruel dream and he would wake up huddling for warmth in some alley.

Those horrible nights weren't the worst however. Occasionally, he felt something ancient and angry slithering in his gut. Naruto couldn't describe the feeling very well. All the Uzumaki knew was that it horrified him.

_**MANGEKY**__**Ō**__** SHARINGAN!**_

Naruto shot up and glanced around the room fearfully. Where the hell did that come from? The boy gulped and clutched a practice kunai. He grasped for the lamp and nearly knocked it over in his furtive attempts to turn it on.

Naruto huddled under the light and was truly afraid.

* * *

Mikoto sat quietly with her husband. She had always loved moments like this. Fugaku was required to be a stern man in public. He was, after all, the head of the Military Police and the Uchiha Clan. In the private moments he shared with his wife; he was actually a soft and passionate man. Mikoto loved listening to her husband act like a little child when he spoke of his sons. Their marriage had been arranged but it defied many of the pitfalls such marriages usually had.

"I wish there was another way, my love." She rested her head on his shoulder.

Fugaku embraced his wife and kissed her on the top of her head. "As do I, but the Path has been set."

Mikoto drew her husband in closer. "I know, I know. I just wish we could have been there to dote on our grandchildren."

The Uchiha clan head chuckled. The laugh was twofold. First, he had always thought his wife was adorable when she pouted like that. Second, the loving conversation was completely at odds with the macabre symphony echoing through the District. The screams of his dying clansmen filled the air.

"I think Sasuke and Itachi would have been shocked by how much I would have spoiled my grandchildren." He sighed contentedly at the happy thought and that the noise would never pierce the powerful genjutsu isolating the district. "Welcome home, Itachi."

"Father, mother." Itachi's voice was hollow. Neither side bore any ill will towards the other. They each had their duty and they would fulfill it. Fugaku drew his wife close for one last kiss. Itachi drew his katana and damned himself.

* * *

Sasuke jogged home. He stayed at the practice field for a few hours after Sakura had nearly collapsed from exhaustion. The Uchiha was pleasantly surprised by the pink haired girl. Sakura had always struck him as the most annoying of the fangirls. She was way too loud at times. At the beginning of the term, Sasuke had dismissed her as simply cut from the same cloth as Naruto.

Today had changed that opinion. Sakura had chosen to admire him. The Haruno girl gravitated to him because she truly wanted to become stronger. He was noticing similarities that he shared with her. They both possessed an intense rivalry with the Hyūga and her lapdog. Sasuke was strongly considering allying himself with the number two kunoichi.

Suddenly, Sasuke felt very cold. The Uchiha district was unnaturally quiet. Normally, Sasuke would have heard the ruckus at Shig's Tavern by now. Sasuke liked that place. He was still too young to drink, but occasionally one of his clansmen would sneak him in so he could get a bite to eat. The food was really good there.

A presence descended around Sasuke. He looked up nervously and saw a shadowed figure with some kind of weapon perched on a power line.

The figure disappeared faster than Sasuke thought was humanly possible. Sasuke felt the unmistakable sensation of a powerful genjutsu fading away.

Sasuke screamed. The walls of the district were caked with blood and every couple feet there were fires from Grand Fireballs. Dozens of his clansmen littered the ground. Every one of them was killed. The young boy stumbled to one of the corpses. It was Kaori. She was a long retired ninja that always gave Sasuke an extra tomato when he went shopping. Kaori was very old and no longer a threat. Why had she been killed? Sasuke looked numbly over the dead bodies of his family.

Terror overtook him. _Father! Mother!_ Sasuke ran faster than he had ever run. The races against Naruto seemed to be a snail's pace compared to his maddened rush.

"Don't come in Sasuke." The voice on the other side of the door wasn't one of his parents.

Sasuke slid the door open and stepped in despite the voice's command and his own survival instincts. "Father… Mother…"

The door suddenly shut behind them. Sasuke's eyes tried to mimic the door. He had to forget the sight in front of him. He had burn it from his memory. Sasuke couldn't live with the image of his parents' corpses cooling in a pool of their own blood. He couldn't live with the knowledge that his brother had murdered them.

"Why?" Sasuke felt the hot tears running down his face. Their heat was soon replaced by a hot cutting pain. Sasuke grunted as the pain in his shoulder flared. It forced him to open his eyes. Itachi stood there silently with his eyes closed.

"You know why."

The Uchiha brother's minds were both cracking under the fundamental pain they shared in that moment.

"Mangekyō Sharingan." Itachi's eyes finally opened and Sasuke drowned in a sea of pain.

* * *

Naruto and Kō both awoke to a world turned upside down. Naruto woke up Kō early and explained what had happened that night. The voice that had spoken of the Mangekyō Sharingan was a major concern, but there was no direct evidence that it was the Kyūbi.

Kō received summons to help with the investigation because of his Byakugan. He departed immediately and Naruto was left to his own devices. The walk with Hinata and Kiba to the Academy was in complete silence. Hinata was frightened by the thought of a ninja powerful and evil enough to butcher almost the entirety of the Uchiha Clan. She walked the entire way to school holding onto Naruto's arm like a life raft.

Class was subdued. The lessons were cut short and counselors were brought in to help the children cope. Ninja life was full of death and almost every Jonin developed some form of eccentricity. Konoha could not risk losing any Academy Students this year. The Hokage and Konoha Council agreed that a large and talented graduating class would minimize the loss of the Uchiha Clan.

The Sandaime Hokage graced the class with his presence. His kind words and grandfatherly nature helped calm many students' nerves. Sarutobi even took questions from the class. Many students were too stunned to ask any questions.

Sakura Haruno was not one of them. "Hokage-sama?" The Hokage acknowledged her. "The military police were almost exclusively Uchiha. Who is heading the investigation?"

The Hokage nodded. "An excellent question, Sakura-chan. I am personally overseeing the investigation. ANBU and members of the Hyūga, Inuzuka, and Yamanaka Clans will be assisting because of their clan specialties. I can tell that you have another question, young Sakura."

The pink haired girl gave voice to her deepest fears. It was the question everyone in the class wanted to ask. She knew many of the other fangirls thought Sasuke's condition was terrifying. Their childish fear was nothing next to the soul crushing pain Sakura was experiencing.

"How is Sasuke-kun, Hokage-sama?"

The class perked up at the question as they were all eager to hear the answer. "Sasuke-kun is recovering from the wounds he suffered. I am **not** permitting visitors at this time. His condition is delicate and he must be debriefed as soon as possible."

Iruka and Mizuki dismissed the class after the Hokage said his goodbyes and departed. Kiba, Hinata and Naruto lingered in the classroom.

"I… I can't believe th… the Uchiha are g… gone… They w… were one of the s…strongest clans in Konoha…" Hinata stared at her desk. Naruto grabbed her hand to comfort her. He knew what his best friend was thinking. Hinata was scared that the same thing could happen to her clan.

"Sasuke's still alive. The clan is still around…" Hinata was too focused on the tragedy of the previous night to blush at the physical contact. Naruto's attempt to cheer up Hinata was cut short.

"Why didn't you help the Uchiha?" The voice was so accusing that it took the trio a moment to recognize it.

"What… what are you t..talking about, Sakura-san?" Hinata looked up nervously.

Sakura glared and pointed at the pale eyed girl. "You Hyūga were so quick to take advantage of the Fire. Maybe you decided to sit out the Massacre because you knew it would help you even more!"

Naruto really didn't like Sakura's tone. "Look, Haruno. I know you are upset about what happened to Sasuke, but do not talk to Hinata-chan like that. I didn't sleep last night and I'm really not in the mood for your issues with my best friend."

"Oh shut up, you worthless guard mutt! You were probably up all night dancing that your better was probably de…"

Sakura's rant was cut off by a slap. All sound fled from the classroom. Naruto sat wide eyed at the show of emotion. Kiba, who had been growling at Sakura for her insults towards his pack, suddenly found it impossible to make a sound.

"Haruno Sakura, I know you dislike me. I can endure that. You will not insult my family nor will you disrespect Naruto-kun in such a manner."

Bitter tears fell and Sakura stormed out. Naruto and Kiba's jaws hit the floor.

Kiba excused himself muttering. "She's scarier than mom when angry!"

Hinata buried her face in her arms. "I… I made a huge m…mistake Naruto-kun. H…how could I do s…say such… horrible things."

The stunned blond rubbed his friends back. Naruto could hear her tears. "You didn't say anything wrong, Hinata-chan. All you did was defend me and your family. I'm glad you consider me important enough to defend like that."

Hinata couldn't bring herself to tell Naruto how truly important he was to her. "I.. hit her."

She didn't see Naruto shrug his shoulders. "She deserved it."

Hinata looked up and took comfort in Naruto's kind smile. "If you say so, Naruto-kun."

"Let's get out of here. Tell you what, I'll get you a cinnamon roll." Naruto felt better when he say a ghost of a smile on Hinata's lips. "Hey, Hinata-chan, I hope I never make you that mad. I bet that tone would have sent the temes on the Council running."

Hinata blushed slightly. _I don't think I could ever be angry with you._ "Ok, Naruto-kun."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **The onslaught of chapters continues. I think I might actually _be_ a robot.

But I have an announcement/request/plea… (which is the real reason for this chapter truth be told)

I need a beta! Holy god, I didn't realize the number of typos I made in the earlier chapters! This won't be like Chains of the Kindred where I have four(!) Betas. I'll be taking at least one, probably two volunteers. Be warned, I don't plan on lessoning the insane pace I've set with this story. I'm having so much fun with this, I'm beginning to doubt if it's healthy! Contact me via PM if you want to volunteer to be overworked my beta. Again, I **won't** be slowing the pace until class starts back up in a few weeks. So, prepare to have an onslaught unleashed upon your inbox.


	6. Chapter 6

The Hyūga council chamber was her least favorite place in the world. Hinata hated this place as much as she loved her mother's gardens or the grove where she played with Naruto and Neji. She knew as heiress she would have to spend a great deal of time here, and Hinata reluctantly accepted that fact. Unfortunately, she hadn't been brought here by father as part of Hinata's ongoing education. The council had summoned her. The pale eyed girl knew exactly why the old men of the clan had called her. The Haruno family had brought the slap before the council. The civilians would never be permitted before the clan council of Konoha's newly most powerful clan, but the council would put on a show of hearing their complaint.

Hisao-sama called the meeting to order. Hinata always felt very self conscious when she had to address the council personally. Certain members of the council did not hold any hopes she would make a strong heiress. Hinata made no attempt to hide her shy, kind nature. It was just that the Council did not believe the Clan Head should possess such a personality.

"Hinata-sama, you have been summoned by the Council."

Hinata recognized the formal opening of an inquiry. "Hisao-sama, august Councilors, I have received your summons and appeared before you with all due haste and respect."

The sideways glances of the council betrayed their surprise at the lack of a stutter. Hinata wanted to turn around and return the smile that was no doubt plastered on Naruto's face. The Council, namely Hideko and Akihito, had attempted to keep the Hyūga Ward from the proceedings. Neji and Hinata had spent less than five minutes looking through the by-laws of the Clan before finding a simple loophole. Hinata was allowed to present witnesses to the Council. Neji insisted he be present as well, the older boy 'demanded' his right as Hinata's Branch House body guard and as his cousin/little sister's Clan support.

The three knew that Hiashi and Hizashi supported Hinata completely. However, their roles prevented them from speaking until the Council reached a decision. Technically, it was Hiashi who rendered judgment and that the Council only 'advised' the Clan Head on his ruling. Tradition mandated that the Clan Head follow the recommendation of the Council. Hiashi would read out the judgment and Hizashi would escort the subject of the judgment from the Council Chambers.

Hinata's grandfather failed miserably at his attempt not to look smug. Hinata hoped the smugness was due to grandfatherly pride. She also said a quick silent prayer that Kō-san and Neji-niisan could keep Naruto from exploding.

"Hinata-sama, the Haruno family has brought an incident to the attention of this Council. They claim that you struck their daughter today outside assigned spars. We are here to ascertain the truth of these allegations."

Hinata kept her eyes forward and maintained perfect posture. She had not activated her Byakugan but she could see each councilor. The Hyūga Council did not want to be there. The accusations had come from a civilian family. If the Council had not been trying to reinforce the Clan's new found position as Konoha's greatest clan this accusation would have been ignored completely. Hinata was suddenly struck by the real reason for this session of the Clan Council. It was a test. Her performance tonight would have more bearing on her status as heiress than any Jukken spar or Academy mark. She had never been more thankful for Naruto's proximity.

"August Council members, I… I do not believe there is any need to a…ascertain the truth of the allegations. I did slap Haruno Sakura earlier today."

Hinata cursed her stutter. She had it under control until she realized how important this meeting was to her future. The Council members all looked stunned. Hiashi managed to maintain his mask of perfect emotional mastery. The mask was easy to maintain because he already knew the complete story from both Hinata and Naruto. Hiashi found not laughing the hardest part. Naruto's explanation that Hinata's slap 'shut up Sakura in a second and sent the bitch packing!' was looping in his head.

"Hinata-sama, striking another academy student is a serious breach of protocol. I pray you have a good explanation for your actions."

Naruto made an indignant huff and was quickly silenced by Kō. "August Councilors, I struck Sakura because of her slanderous insinuations regarding our Clan's reaction to the Uchiha Massacre and unkind remarks leveled at an individual under the stalwart protection of our clan."

If there had been sufficient light in the chamber, the council would have been permanently blinded by the reflection off Naruto's smile. Hinata had said more to the council than she ever had before. And she hadn't even stuttered! Naruto wanted to run up and hug her, but he knew that would get Hinata in trouble.

_Stupid Council, they _are _trying to ban happiness! Neji was right!_

If protocol had permitted, the council would have adjourned at that very moment. However, Hinata had summoned a witness to defend her position. The council was bound by the by-laws to question Hinata and her witness now. Hideko was acknowledged for the first question.

"Hinata-sama, what were the insinuations the civilian made regarding our clan?"

"Hideko-sama, the civilian… she claimed w… we did not assist the Uchiha because we wanted them all to die. Haruno Sakura said we wanted to take advantage of the Massacre."

Councilman Seiji was the next to ask a question. "Hinata-sama, I assume the clan ward you referred to is Uzumaki Naruto. What did this Sakura say about young Naruto?"

Hinata was still angry at the cruel things Sakura had said about Naruto-kun. "Sakura claimed that Naruto-kun had been up all night dancing to celebrate the massacre. She was implying that Naruto-kun, and by extension the Hyūga clan, knew about the Massacres and did nothing."

Hisao thanked Hinata for her answers and called Naruto forward. Kō and Neji immediately began praying. They had put Naruto through a crash course in decorum. Naruto walked over to Hinata before sitting before the council.

_Oh god, we're doomed!_ Naruto's older brothers sighed in unison.

"You were awesome Hinata-chan." Naruto whispered before taking his seat. He was the only person in the entire room who missed Hinata's blush.

"Uzumaki-san, you have been summoned by the council." Hisao repeated the ritualistic introduction.

"Hisao-sama, august Councilors, I have received your summons and appeared before you with all due haste and respect." Naruto parroted Hinata's response. He wasn't sure what the month of August had to do with the council. It was March. The 'Weird Hyūga Stuff' folder had a new entry.

Naruto desperately fought off a groan when he recognized who was going to ask the first question. Teme Number Three.

"Uzumaki-san, what was the cause of the confrontation between Hinata-sama and Haruno Sakura?"

_Sakura was being a bitch and Hinata shut her up!_ Naruto knew he couldn't say that, but did he ever want to!

"Akihito-sama, Sakura yelled at Hinata-c…sama about the Hyūga Clan not helping the Uchiha." Naruto barely caught his slip.

Hisao asked the next question. "Uzumaki-san, did Hinata-sama immediately respond to the civilian's accusations?"

Naruto took a deep breath. "Kinda, Hisao-sama. Hinata had been… concerned about her family all morning and was sort of caught off guard by Sakura's question. I actually told Sakura to back off before Hinata-sama responded."

Kō and Neji groaned at Naruto's completely informal response. At least Naruto had the presence of mind not to say Hinata had been afraid. Akihito received permission for a follow-up question. "Uzumaki-san, how did you 'tell Sakura to back off'?"

"Akihito-sama, I told Sakura that I understood she was upset about Sasuke. I then told her that I slept bad last night and wasn't in the mood for her jealous rants."

Every adult in the Council Chamber grew concerned when Naruto mentioned his insomnia.

Hisao spoke with a sense of urgency. "Uzumaki-san, why did you not sleep well?"

Naruto remembered the nameless dread that came over him. "Hisao-sama, I had a nightmare. All I remember was a voice shouting something about a 'Mangekyō Sharingan'. It probably had something with the genjutsu used last night."

The council quickly agreed with Naruto's explanation. Hideko was the next to question Naruto.

"Uzumaki-san, how would you describe Hinata-sama's relationship with Haruno Sakura?"

Naruto smiled broadly. "Hideko-sama, Sakura is totally jealous of Hinata-sama! Hinata-sama is the number one kunoichi in the Academy. Sakura is a distant second. Sakura can't stand how easy Hinata-sama beats her in the weekly spars. Heck, Hanabi-sama could probably beat Sakura! I don't think I've seen Hinata-sama break a sweat against any girl in our class!"

Hinata's blush deepened at Naruto's glowing praise. Kō was about to facepalm, but he saw the 'Hyūga Superiority Smirks' plastered on each Councilor's face. Naruto hadn't meant to, but he had appealed to their pride. Naruto's enthusiasm at Hinata's accomplishments had earned him points. His claim that three year old Hanabi could defeat the number two Academy kunoichi, and by extension most of Hinata's Academy class, made his informal answers a moot point.

Hisao addressed the assembled clansmen. "The council will deliberate on our recommendation to Hiashi-sama. We ask that the chamber empty."

Naruto followed Hinata and Kō out of the Chamber.

Kō wheeled around as soon as the doors shut. "Naruto, what kind of answers were those?"

Naruto laughed sheepishly. "Uh… the truth?"

Neji shook his head. "Luckily for you, you appealed to their pride. I don't think I've ever seen the entire council smile like they did when you mentioned how jealous Sakura was of Hinata-sama."

"So… Hinata-chan won't be in trouble?"

Kō smiled. "They'll probably tell Hinata-sama to not strike Sakura-san outside of sparring matches. They'll say, 'We of the council fully expect Hinata-sama to continue to demonstrate her innate superiority during sanctioned matches and refrain from physical altercations during informal settings.' or something like that."

Naruto shrugged and turned to Hinata. "You were awesome in there, Hinata-chan! The council was totally impressed!"

Hinata fought to keep her blush light. "R…really Naruto-kun?"

One of the guards informed the group that the Council had reached a decision. The group reentered the chamber. Hinata took her seat in front of the Council. Naruto sat beside Kō.

Hisao maintained the Hyūga poise. "The Council has reached a consensus. We of the council fully expect Hinata-sama to continue to demonstrate her innate superiority during sanctioned matches and refrain from physical altercations during informal settings."

Naruto and Neji exchanged shocked looks. The young boy nudged his eldest brother figure. "You called it, nii-san."

Hiashi finally spoke. "I receive the recommendation of the Council. The Clan will render judgment. In light of Haruno Sakura's provocation and jealousy of Hyūga Hinata, the punishment has been _altered_."

Hinata wanted to hang her head. She knew that she'd be punished. Of course, Naruto lifted her spirits without even trying. Hinata heard Kō slap his hand over Naruto's mouth to prevent the boy from voicing his displeasure with Hiashi's choice of words.

"Hinata you are prohibited from visiting the Ichiraku Ramen Bar for a period of one week. The Clan reiterates the Council's recommendation that physical altercations are to be avoided outside of sanctioned matches."

Hiashi dismissed the Council meeting. Hinata met everyone outside in the foyer.

"I can't believe they punished you, Hinata! What are we going to do for lunch now?" Naruto was shocked that the Council actually punished Hinata and didn't shower her with praise.

"Ano… We could always go to Sayuri's… T…they have good zenzai." Hinata suggested.

"You're a genius, you know that right?" Neji only shook his head as Hinata turned bright red.

"Hinata-sama." The group turned and was caught off guard by Hideko approaching. "I am sorry that you were forced to sit through an inquiry. If there had been no need to maintain appearances for the civilians, we would have let this incident pass. Unfortunately, the Harunos brought a formal request before the Clan."

Hinata bowed politely. "I understand, Hideko-sama."

The Councilor smiled. "I must confess, Hinata-sama, you have improved greatly in the past few years."

Hinata was shocked. Hideko was one of her father's biggest critics on the Council. "Thank you very much, Hideko-sama."

"You are welcome, Hinata-sama. This must be off the record, but the Council is proud of your handling of the civilian girl. Your defense of the clan in the face of this Haruno child's slander has earned you the Council's respect."

Hideko walked off, while Naruto and Hinata looked at each other and spoke as one. "Did that really happen?"

* * *

A semblance of normalcy had finally returned to the Academy. Sasuke had returned to class after a lengthy stay in the hospital. He had become even more distant. In fact, he only interacted with four people in the class.

Sasuke constantly challenged Naruto. The last Uchiha remembered how proud his parents had been of his besting of the blond. He would never let that go.

Sasuke interacted with Hinata in his ongoing efforts to force a confrontation with Naruto.

He interacted with Kiba because the Inuzuka would jump into any brewing confrontation to support Naruto or Hinata. Sasuke had even less patience for Kiba than he did for Hinata or Naruto.

The most surprising interaction was with Sakura. They were bonded by a mutual dislike of Naruto and Hinata. Sasuke confided in the pink haired girl. The entire village knew Itachi had been behind the massacre. Sasuke had revealed that his dearest dream was to kill Itachi to Sakura.

"I can hear them, Sakura. My clan is calling out for vengeance. I must become an avenger."

The Sasuke fangirls swarmed over Sakura. They wanted to learn how she had achieved what they all longed for.

"Power."

Sakura's enigmatic response drove the other girls nuts. In their confusion, they migrated to the only girl on Team Naruto.

"Ano… I don't l… like Sasuke. If…" Hinata couldn't bring herself to drop the 'if' or the 'd' yet. She was fearful of what would happen. "I l..liked a boy he would have to be honest, kind, fun and accessible. H…honestly… I, I d…don't find the t…teme attractive either."

Once again, the fangirls were shocked and wandered off.

Naruto had watched the entire exchange. "You called the Teme a teme. You're one of us!"

Hinata scrunched into her hoodie. "I… I didn't realize t..that I did."

Kiba looked up from petting Akamaru, his new nin-dog companion. "One of us!"

Naruto caught the sly grin and joined his best guy friend's chant. "One of us! One of us!"

Hinata couldn't help it and giggled. The teachers entered the class room. Iruka smiled broadly to the class. "Class, today is very special. Today, Mizuki-sensei and I will be teaching you ninjutsu! We will start with the Bunshin. Watch carefully as Mizuki-sensei demonstrates the technique."

Mizuki stepped forward and slowly and deliberately signed the Ram, Snake and Tiger seals. There was a puff of smoke and four Mizukis appeared. "Alright, now each row will work together on this jutsu. Iruka-sensei and I will move around to assist you if you need it."

"So, who wants to go first?" Kiba asked as he stood up and stretched.

"I… I'll go first." Hinata volunteered. She flashed through the hand signs and shouted. "Bunshin!"

There was a puff of smoke and a second Hinata appeared.

"First try! Go Hinata!" Naruto's shout drew the glares of Sakura and a few other students. Hinata dispelled her clone.

"T…thank you, Naruto-kun. I'll activate my Byakugan to help you two."

Kiba practically broke his chair in his excitement. "Sorry, Naruto! I'm next! Watch this Akamaru!"

The Inuzuka's hand seals weren't as crisp or quick as Hinata's. There was a puff of smoke and a wobbly clone appeared.

"Ano… Kiba-kun… You didn't put enough chakra into it…" Hinata pointed out.

"Thanks Hinata!" Kiba ran through the seals and shouted his effort. "GO!"

Another puff of smoke appeared and a second grinning Kiba appeared. Naruto gave the boy a high five while Akamaru ran around his partner and barked happily.

"We're supposed to be ninja not a travelling circus!" Sasuke taunted from the front row.

"SHUT IT TEME!" Naruto, Kiba _and_ Hinata shouted, though the class only heard the two boys. Mizuki reprimanded both groups. Naruto took his position.

"My turn!"

Naruto's hand seals were very precise. He focused his chakra and prepared the technique. Hinata watched in awe as Naruto molded an immense amount of chakra. She had always known that Naruto possessed a huge amount of chakra. Now, she was watching him call forth his power. She fought to keep her jaw from hanging open. Naruto almost had as much chakra as her father and uncle! That couldn't be possible could it? Hiashi and Hizashi were Elite Jonin and some of the strongest ninja in all of Konoha. Hinata always knew her best friend was incredible, but this didn't seem possible!

"BUNSHIN!" Naruto shouted and there was a plume of smoke. There was a sick looking Bunshin that quickly doubled over in pain. "What! What did I do wrong?"

Sasuke, Sakura and the other student from their row had finished already. Iruka had dismissed them for the day. "Some number two you are, dobe. You can't even make a simple clone."

Kiba and Hinata glared at the trio. Naruto ignored the confrontation and tried again. Unfortunately, he got the same result. "Ano… Naruto-kun, you are p…putting far too much chakra into the B..bushin."

Sakura flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Looks like the lapdog can't even pull off a simple technique."

Hinata simply glared at her rival. "What's wrong Hyūga? Aren't as quick with the comeback as your mutts?"

_H…how would… How would Naruto-kun respond?_ "I… I'm sorry, Sakura. I w..was distracted b…by your g…giant forehead…"

Sakura reacted as if Hinata had slapped her again. "You swore on your clan name it wasn't big!"

"It… it m…must have had… a g…growth spurt."

Sakura stormed off and Sasuke looked like he was about to say something.

"Don't even start it, teme. Don't even start it." Naruto growled. Sasuke growled right back and stormed off. Naruto turned to his best friend. "Hinata…"

Hinata shrank into herself. "Y…yes Naruto-kun?"

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Naruto leapt forward and wrapped Hinata into a huge hug. All conscious thought fled from Hinata's mind and she passed out with a smile on her face.

* * *

Kiba and Hinata stared in awe of Naruto's fourteenth bowl of red bean soup. The blond knew he couldn't pay for the food he desperately needed. He had exhausted himself trying to compress his chakra to a level where he could use a Bunshin. Kiba had actually provided the idea.

"Dude, you should go for the Red Bean Challenge."

So, Naruto went for it. He had an hour to eat as many bowls of zenzai as he could. If he beat the record of nine, his meal would be free.

"Ok, I'm done. I can't eat anymore!" Naruto called out. He was wondering if Chōji was onto something about food restoring chakra. The manager came over and announced Naruto had crushed the record. Naruto received a tee-shirt and a round of applause.

After a minute, Kiba spoke. "Don't worry about earlier, Naruto. You'll get it."

Hinata nodded. "Kiba-kun is right, Naruto-kun! I'm sure we can get Kō-san, Uncle or Father to help!"

Naruto smiled at his friends. "Thanks you two. I don't get it though. I'm an Academy student. How can I have too much chakra?"

Kiba fed Akamaru a bit of the meat from his meal. "I wouldn't mind having that problem, buddy. Well, I've already paid. I've got to get home for Clan training. See you guys tomorrow."

The remaining kids sat quietly for a moment. Naruto didn't say anything because he was digesting fourteen bowls of zenzai. Hinata was quiet due to a combination of awe at Naruto's appetite and the happy memories of the hug.

Naruto finally broke the silence. "Hey, Hinata-chan. You ready to go?"

Hinata nodded. "I paid around the same time Kiba-kun did."

The pair left slowly because patrons kept congratulating Naruto on crushing the record. The two wandered at a relaxed pace through the streets.

"Hinata-chan, where was I messing up with the Bunshin?" Naruto asked quietly.

Hinata was quiet for a moment. "I… I don't really k..know how to explain, Naruto-kun. I s…saw…" She wasn't sure how to continue. "I saw a bit of red chakra flowing with your blue chakra. I… I think it's because you h…have so much it causes s…stress."

Naruto laughed and flashed a confused smile. "Ok, thanks Hinata. I think I'll talk to Hiashi-sama or Hizashi-sama when we get to the compound."

They walked in silence for a few moments. "Ano… when will Kō-san be back from his mission, Naruto-kun?"

"Nii-san said that it was a long term C-rank. I think he'll be back in a week or so."

Hinata waved to Naruto. "I have to help Hanabi-imouto and Father with some training. It won't be too long, Naruto-kun."

Naruto waved back. "Kay, Hinata-chan."

The last Uzumaki made his way to the Branch Dojo. Hizashi was leading a practice for Branch Family children. Naruto had taken part in a few of these practices at the request of Hizashi and Hiashi. The younger generation was receiving more training against standard taijutsu than ever. Naruto approached Hizashi as soon as the lesson ended.

"Uh… Hizashi-sama, I need your help."

The Branch Head had never heard such a down tone from Naruto before. "Of course, Naruto-kun. What do you need help with?"

Naruto adopted a very Hinata-like pose. "I… I can't perform a standard Bunshin. I can't compress my chakra enough to perform the jutsu. Hinata-chan mentioned something about 'red chakra'."

Hizashi knew exactly what Naruto was talking about. The Kyūbi sealed within the boy gave him incredible chakra capacity and always leaked a bit of the demon's chakra through the seal. "I'm not entirely sure why there is some red chakra, but I know a technique you might be able to learn. Watch."

The Branch Head made a unique hand seal. "Kage Bunshin no jutsu."

Two Hizashis appeared out of the traditional puff of smoke. "You, go tell Hiashi-niisan that I will need to speak with him as soon as he finishes training Hanabi and Hinata."

One of the clones nodded and jogged off. Naruto was bouncing on his feet. "That is so cool! Are you going to teach me that?"

"Possibly, Naruto. This is a very advanced technique. In fact, only Jonin are permitted to learn it." Hizashi noticed Naruto deflate. "I sent the clone to talk to Hiashi. My brother and I will go to the Hokage tomorrow to ask for special permission."

Naruto bowed politely. "Thank you, Hizashi-sama. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you and the rest of the Hyūgas!"

"You are welcome, Naruto." The blond ran off to do his homework. Hizashi was left deep in thought.

Later that evening, Hiashi and Hizashi spoke of the recent developments.

"Naruto deserves to know. I am convinced he is strong enough to handle the revelation that he is the jailor of the Kyūbi. The Clan will stand with him and give him the support he needs. I know my son will not hate him. They are brothers."

Hiashi nodded as he sipped on his sake. "I agree. I know Hinata is incapable of having any negative feelings for the boy."

Hizashi poured another drink and chuckled. "In a few years, things will be interesting."

"I prefer the son of one of our best friends to any of the old nobles who will soon be sending requests!" Hiashi growled at the hateful thought of the Council practically selling his daughter into a loveless marriage.

There was no argument on that point. "You know, Hiashi, if I could I'd tell Naruto everything right now. Naruto repeatedly says his dream is to protect Konoha. I think he'd be proud to know his every breath fulfills that dream."

"Aye. A boy deserves to know who his parents are as well. We'll meet with the Hokage as early as possible."

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen lit his pipe as Hyūga Hiashi and Hizashi took their seats. The Third Hokage was pleased to see the rediscovery of the Will of Fire in the Hyūga Clan. He was also grateful for the clan's acceptance of Naruto. The boy deserved a family. Hiruzen was also acutely aware of the reason for this meeting.

"Hokage-sama, thank you for seeing us on such short notice." Hiashi nodded politely. The Hokage envied the Hyūga's natural poise.

"It is a pleasure, Hiashi-san, Hizashi-san. How are your children and young Naruto?"

Hiashi smiled. "Hinata is the number one Kunoichi in her class and Hanabi is showing incredible promise with Jukken."

"Neji is first in his class. His scores are some of the highest in years. I believe only your scores, Minato's, and…" Hizashi maintained his proud smile, but spat the last name he had to utter. "Uchiha Itachi's scores are higher."

Hiashi picked up as soon as his twin finished. "Naruto-kun is also doing very well. He is second in his class behind Uchiha Sasuke. Those two have a rather antagonistic rivalry that worries me at times."

The Hokage nodded. "Mizuki-sensei and Iruka-sensei have said as much. I am afraid the two boys are causing a rift in the teaching staff. Iruka favors Naruto-kun and your daughter, Hiashi-san. Mizuki, outside of the classroom, is adamant in his favoritism of the Uchiha. It worries me that my instructors are so biased. But enough unhappy talk, what brings you to my office?"

The twins exchanged a glance. "Hokage-sama, we have some requests regarding Naruto. We seek your permission to teach Naruto-kun the Kage Bunshin no jutsu. He is struggling with the standard Bunshin technique. As you are aware, the Kyūbi, and his heritage, gifts him with an immense amount of chakra. It is physically painful for the boy to compress his chakra for the basic Bunshin. Hizashi and I both believe the Shadow Clone technique would be manageable for Naruto."

The Sandaime inhaled deeply. He savored the tobacco as he thought. "I will permit it. You may continue."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. During the Bunshin exercises, Hinata informed Naruto that she saw some red chakra in Naruto's chakra coils." Hiashi noticed the Hokage's expression and continued quickly. "She and Naruto believe the red chakra to be the result of 'pressure' from Naruto's excessive amount of chakra."

Hiruzen took another drag on his pipe. "You know the law in place regarding Naruto's status as a Jinchūriki."

Hizashi spoke. "We are aware, Hokage-sama. My brother and I believe Naruto is both mature enough and has enough support to understand and accept his burden."

"I cannot grant the Hyūga special treatment, Hizashi-san. Do not misunderstand me. I know that you both have Naruto's best interest at heart and I am grateful. However, the law is blind and shows no favoritism."

The brothers knew that if the Hokage would not budge on this point that he would reject out of hand their second request. They decided to strive for a compromise on Naruto's burden.

"Hokage-sama, if I may offer a compromise."

"I will entertain it, Hiashi-san."

The Clan Head took a breath. "Naruto and Hinata will only ask more questions regarding the Kyūbi's Chakra. It could potentially lead to danger for my daughter or possibly Neji. I humbly request that you inform Naruto-kun of his burden when he makes Genin. The law permits Naruto to tell others of the Kyūbi. Hizashi and I are confident that Neji and Hinata would accept him as the jailor and not the demon. The knowledge of his burden and the acceptance of the Hyūga would help him accept the role his father laid at Naruto's feet."

The Hokage leaned back in his chair and considered the proposition the Hyūga had presented. Hiashi and Hizashi had clearly thought this meeting through. They had presented a sound argument and were willing to compromise. Sarutobi recognized that Naruto deserved to know the truth eventually. The boy also needed to have a true childhood free of the terrible knowledge that the strongest of the Tailed Beasts resided within him. Hiashi and Hizashi's suggestion that Naruto be informed when he made Genin was a brilliant compromise.

"Very well. I agree to your proposal. However, I want the Hyūga to report on any incident that involves the Kyūbi's chakra before I reveal the truth to Naruto."

Hiashi and Hizashi were grateful. "Thank you Hokage-sama! We will do as you command."

The Hokage refilled his pipe. "I know that Minato and Kushina are grateful that you have taken care of their boy."

The three men smiled at the memory of the Minato acting like a five year old when he told his friends Kushina was with child. Shikaku had used a Shadow Bind on Minato to get him to slow down enough for Hizashi and Inoichi to ask him for details. There were times when it hurt to think that the Yellow Flash would be gone less than a year after that happy day.

Hiashi and Hizashi would not let their best friend's son suffer the same fate.

* * *

Naruto, Neji, Hinata and Kiba had decided to celebrate by going to Ichiraku. The four friends mostly exchanged tales of the Academy. Neji mentioned how Rock Lee, his 'Eternal Rival' had unofficially been taken under the wing of a Jonin named Might Guy. Neji found the pair certifiably insane, but he could not fault their taijutsu ability. The three younger children mostly talked about how they were glad Naruto had learned Kage Bunshin.

"We need a knick-name for Haruno." Kiba downed his tea as Akamaru curled up in his lap.

Naruto rubbed his chin. "I'm drawing a blank. I think we should let Hinata-chan decide. Sakura is her rival after all."

Neji leaned forward to get a good look at his younger friends. "Wait, if Hinata-imouto has Sakura for a rival and Naruto-kun is up against Sasuke, who is your rival, Inuzuka-kun?"

"The Teme's ego. I mean, not even Naruto can counter both the Teme's abilities and the planetary mass of an ego the Uchiha has."

Neji nodded at Kiba's explanation. Hinata suddenly spoke up. "I got it!"

Three pairs of eyes turned to the normally quiet Hyūga heiress. Hinata realized she had spoken loudly and began twiddling her fingers.

"I… I think we should call Haruno… B..billboard, like Ino-san does."

Neji looked to Hinata and then back to Naruto. "I don't get it."

Surprisingly, it was Kiba who piped up first. "Bitch has a huge forehead."

"M...maybe we should offer T...Teuchi-san advertising space on it..." Hinata spoke through a ghost of a smile.

"Who are you and what have you done with my cousin?" Neji asked after he received his check.

"Blame Naruto-kun. He's an h…horrible influence on me." Hinata giggled. She couldn't believe how easy it was to kid around when Naruto was nearby.

"Stage one is complete! Next she'll only eat ramen and wear orange all the time!" Naruto cackled madly.

"Kiba, please hit Naruto."

Kiba slapped Naruto on the back of his head. "How was that, Neji?"

"Passable."

The four laughed and returned home looking forward to their futures.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I'd like to gamebrain89 for beta'ing the chapter. Go read his story Kitsune's Chld!

Please continue the awesome review response.

Also, if you want to rent out ad space on Sakura's forehead please contact Naruto or Hinata at 01-2345-6789 between 8:00am and 4:00pm CST.


	7. Chapter 7: Merry Christmas!

Naruto had trouble believing his time at the Academy was drawing to a close. The five years of the Academy had been the happiest of his life. He had spent nearly every day with Hinata and Kiba. He had learned so much from Iruka-sensei and, though he hated to admit it, Mizuki-sensei. Naruto had even nearly caught up to Sasuke in the past year. The rivals were neck and neck in the standings now. Sasuke had much better chakra control which boosted his ninjutsu scores. The last Uchiha also had better academic marks. Naruto had much better teamwork scores and his strategy marks were higher. The parity had driven the rivalry into a practical cold war. Naruto and Sasuke only spoke when there was no other option. The rivalry had spilled outside of the Academy as well. Sayuri's Red Bean Challenge had changed hands six times in the past two years alone. Ironically, neither Naruto nor Sasuke held the current record. It was Hinata.

Hinata also added an element to rivalry that simultaneously made Naruto proud and nervous. Naruto was proud of his best friend. At the same time, he was nervous that Hinata was a target of Sasuke's issues. Naruto's best friend had also struck up a rivalry with Haruno Sakura that was as intense as Naruto's own. He was proud that Hinata continued to beat Sakura in the Academy standings. Hinata was amazing. One time at Ichiraku Ramen, Iruka-sensei had accidently mentioned that Hinata's scores might even be better than Tsunade of the Sannin.

Naruto sighed as the thoughts ran through his head. He had always been protective of Hinata. Naruto had realized just how protective he was when Hinata's rivalry with Sakura had turned into a strong mutual dislike. The Hyūga had granted him patronage so he could be Hinata's guardian. Naruto had quickly shifted the reasons. Hinata was his friend. Then she was his best friend.

_And now?_

It was suddenly very confusing. She was still his best friend, but there seemed to be something else. He brutally stomped on the thoughts. He had a big day today and had to focus. There was a tracking test and a quiz on the history of the Nidaime Hokage.

"Something on your mind, Naruto-kun?" Kō asked. The last time Kō remembered Naruto looking so confused was the day he had brought Naruto into his home. It was almost like the time Naruto asked why Kō hadn't left the table. However, Naruto had no hint of sadness in his eyes.

"I'm just thinking about some things at the Academy. I've got a tracking test."

The elder ninja smiled. Naruto was actually a horrible liar, but Kō decided to let it slide.

"You are partnered with Inuzuka Kiba, right?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah I am."

"Then between your natural talent for Kage Bunshin and his Clan skills you two won't have anything to worry about."

Naruto nodded and smiled. "Thanks nii-san!"

"Naruto, who convinced you to not wear orange today?"

"Oh, Hinata-chan did." The aspiring Genin completely missed the amused light in his older brother's eyes.

Naruto had ditched his usual orange and black jumpsuit for the day's tracking test. Instead, he wore a subdued green outfit that was remarkably similar to the standard Konoha Chunnin uniform. In the place of the Flak jacket was a simple black vest.

_Definitely Hinata-sama. There is no way Naruto would choose such restrained clothes_.

"Hey, nii-san, are you really signing up for the next Jonin trials?"

"I am. The trials are actually why I've been training with Yuji and Shuzu for the past month. Jonin need a wide variety of skills. I needed to improve my non-Jukken taijutsu and polish my naginata abilities."

"Seems like we'll both be busy at the end of the year."

Kō ruffled Naruto's hair. "We most certainly will."

"Well, I guess this is where we part ways. You'll be back at the apartment tonight right?" Naruto fidgeted in the unfamiliar clothes.

"I will. See you at dinner, little brother." The two brothers separated. The eldest went to his favorite training grounds. Naruto followed his daily ritual and headed for the Hyūga estates. The pair had developed impeccable timing over the years. Naruto would arrive within moments of Hinata leaving the compound.

Hinata was carefully carrying a hanging bag. "Good morning Naruto-kun."

"Morning Hinata-chan. Is that a hanging bag?" Naruto realized what he said and cursed. _Really, Naruto? That was stupid. _

"It is. The kunoichi have a formal exam today. I think it is at the same time as your tracking exam."

"You'll easily be the prettiest."

Naruto said with absolute confidence. Hinata went bright red and mumbled a thank you. Kiba joined his two best friends a few minutes later. They Inuzuka expressed worry about the history quiz and Naruto and Hinata reminded him they had offered to help him study. Iruka-sensei handed out the quizzes after taking the roll. Naruto licked his lips when he recognized the material. It had to be the obscure stuff, didn't it? The teachers hadn't told the class to begin, so Naruto cast a quick glance in Hinata's direction. She smiled and Naruto immediately felt more confident.

Hinata noticed the change in Naruto's mood immediately. She fought off a sigh and focused on the quiz in front of her. Hinata managed to quickly finish the short assessment and handed it to Mizuki. Hinata shifted her concentration back to Naruto. Her mind was still reeling from his confidence that she was pretty. Hinata barely managed to stay conscious when Naruto made the announcement.

_Could he feel the same as I do? _

It was almost too much to hope for! Hinata had truly realized her feelings for Naruto a year ago. The comments she had made long ago to the Sasuke fangirls were true. She liked a boy who was honest, kind, fun and accessible. It was obvious to almost everyone she was describing Naruto. At the time however, Naruto was 'just' her best friend but she 'liked' him. It had been a 'like' without truly understanding what it meant to 'like' someone. The realization had actually been subtle. Truthfully, Hinata had simply accepted that her feelings had always been there.

She just prayed to anyone who listened that there _was _something there for Naruto as well.

* * *

The class had split into two groups. The larger group, made up of the boys, was preparing for their tracking exam. Miyako-sensei had collected the girls for their kunoichi exam. Naruto was preparing his practice equipment when he noticed his attention and his eyes wandering. He immediately realized what was happening.

_When did this start? _

Naruto huffed and slid the last piece of equipment into his sack. Kiba had noticed his pack-mate's distracted state. He allowed Naruto a moment with his thoughts. Then the ribbing began.

"Oi, Naruto! Focus on our exam! This is a tracking exam and my mom will murder me and hide the body if I don't do well."

Naruto snapped his head around. "Yeah, I'm focused."

Kiba smirked. "Of course you are. On what the girls are wearing."

Shikamaru rolled over on his side and away from the two overly loud shinobi-in-training. "This is going to end up being very troublesome."

Chouji ate a few chips. "I'll admit, I'm curious too. It's not like the girls aren't good looking."

Kiba faux-saluted Chouji. "Chouji's right! I mean, even Billboard probably looks decent all dressed up, in a soul eating monstrosity kind of way."

The shock of the next moment would stay with the assembled boys for a very long time. "I'm sure she does, but I don't think she'd eat your soul. It'd probably taste like day old jerky."

Everyone, even the highly distracted Naruto, couldn't mistake the source of the voice. Had Uchiha Sasuke defended Sakura?

"Hey, if souls actually taste like fresh jerky I might munch on a few. Except yours, probably taste like emo!"

Iruka coughed loudly. "Enough of that. First for the tracking exam is Inuzuka Kiba and Uzumaki Naruto. Both of you come with me. The rest of you, stay with Mizuki-sensei."

Naruto took a few deep breaths and focused. Kiba and Akamaru were as excited as Naruto had ever seen the pair. Iruka turned to face his students at the edge of the forest surrounding the Academy.

"This is your tracking exam. The objective in this assessment is to find an escaped convict that has fled through the woods. The escaped convict is actually a Chunnin volunteer. Expect civilian grade attempts to evade you. You have half an hour."

Naruto raised his hand. "Can you provide any information on the target?"

"He is a petty thief with little knowledge of the surrounding area.

Iruka was pleased that the two boys had successfully shifted into focused soon-to-be Genin. Kiba looked up with a feral gleam in his eye. Tracking and the hunt were some of the hallmarks of the Inuzuka clan. A majority of Konohagakurke's Hunter-nins were Inuzuka. Iruka was sure that Kiba was very eager to live up to his clan expectations in this exam.

"Iruka-sensei, did the target leave behind anything with his scent on it?"

Iruka handed over a scrap of clothing. "This was torn away during his escape."

Kiba took the scrap and let Akamaru pick up the scent. The Inuzuka also sniffed at the cloth. Naruto spent the time looking over the woods. He recognized them! They were the woods that he and Hinata had fought those punks!

"Do you two have any further questions?" The boys shook their heads. "Good luck and… BEGIN!"

Naruto and Kiba entered the woods. Akamaru was out front searching for the target's scent. Kiba and Naruto formed a triangle formation with the dog. The boys were scanning for any sign of spoor. The nin-ken barked the second he found the scent. The dog bounded in the direction of the scent.

"Akamaru's got it. See anything else Naruto?" Kiba asked in a low tone.

"About ten meters in front of Akamaru is a spot of broken twigs. That's likely were he went. If I remember these woods, there is a clearing about a dozen meters ahead of the twigs."

Kiba nodded. "Saw it too. Ground's been real dry lately so not much in the way of tracks. That clearing has a downed tree that practically forms a cave right?"

Naruto smiled. "Yeah, evidently it's a favorite spot for skipping."

The boys nodded and rushed off after Akamaru. They continued to note any signs of a human passing through. Akamaru reached the clearing first. Naruto and Kiba found the dog pointing and growling at the fallen tree.

Naruto made his favorite hand seal and nodded to his friend. Kiba nodded back. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

The clearing was soon surrounded by a dozen Naruto clones. The original and the Inuzuka intercepted the fleeing 'convict'.

"Excellent work you two!" Iruka walked down one of the trees. "Nine minutes and twenty one seconds. That's close to the record."

Kiba and Naruto punched their fists together. Iruka produced a clipboard and asked several questions. The boys relayed all they saw. The Chunnin instructors were both impressed with the level of detail and dismissed the pair.

"Man, we got really lucky. Imagine how much tougher this would have been if we had been fifth."

Akamaru barked from his perch on Kiba's head. "Don't sweat it Naruto. Akamaru says we wouldn't have had anything to worry about even then. I mean, we've got our noses."

Naruto flashed a smile. "Yeah! We are _that _awesome."

Kiba wrapped his arm around his best friend's shoulder. "Know what else is likely to be awesome?"

"What?" Kō, Hizashi and Hiashi had all told Naruto that Ninja quickly developed a sense for when a mission had gone down the shitter. Long serving Ninja possess the ability to recognize their mistakes like when they dodged right when they should have dodged left. Naruto was certain he knew what that 'sixth sense' was like now.

"Oh, you know, that little thing that was _so_ distracting earlier."

"What?" Naruto was really hoping Kiba would stop making Naruto confront his thoughts.

Kiba laughed at Naruto's false ignorance. "Do I have to spell it out? And if you say, 'What?' after this, I'm going to have Akamaru practice Dynamic Marking on your face."

"I… I really don't know what you are talking about, dude." Naruto lied his ass off. He knew exactly what Kiba was talking about. Naruto was hoping that the gods would at least have enough mercy on him to let him talk to Kō first. Nii-san could help Naruto sort out his head and give advice on how to keep Neji and Hiashi from brutally, brutally murdering him.

Chouji looked up from his bag of chips. "Wow, Naruto, you are the worst liar ever."

Shikamaru groaned. "Don't make this situation even more troublesome."

Naruto found the staging area's table and sat down. Chouji left Shikamaru to his cloud gazing an joined Kiba on the bench opposite Naruto.

"Look buddy, this level of denial really isn't healthy." Kiba's smirk never left his face. Naruto swore that even Akamaru was smirking. Could dogs even do that?

Chouji jumped in the 'Naruto Ribbing Conga Line'. "Yeah, Naruto. It's obvious you are crushing and crushing _hard_. But you're lucky! Kiba and I are willing to be your wingmen!"

_Am I crushing? Isn't that something only the Teme's fangirls do? I mean, it's not like I have trouble talking to her and blush a lot. Wait…_

"Guys, seriously." Naruto sounded lame even to himself. He couldn't imagine how pathetic he sounded to Chouji and Kiba.

The Inuzuka clan was full of highly trained predators. The clan was trained from birth to strike at any weakness. "Man, you must be really distracted by the _temptation _to go see what your crush is wearing."

_What _is _she wearing? I mean, I don't think I've ever seen her dressed up. I bet she looks great… God damn it Kiba._

"Could we have the conversation later?" Naruto's pleading tone had attracted almost everyone over.

_Thank god the Teme isn't here._

"Man, Naruto, you have it bad!" Chouji had a huge grin on his face.

_It isn't that bad is it? I mean, really? I do think about her all the time, but we are best friends so that's normal._

"Naruto-san, I believe that, despite their crude attempts to make this situation humorous, Kiba-san and Chouji-san are correct. It would be most beneficial for you to acknowledge your attraction and move forward."

"Et tu Shino?" Naruto was getting pissed off. Couldn't they just leave this be until Naruto could talk to Kō?

* * *

"I wonder how the boy's tracking exam is going." Ami said as Mayumi helped with her obi.

Sakura spun gracefully around. "_Obviously_ Sasuke-kun is going to finish with the highest score."

"I… I doubt that v…very much, B..billboard. Kiba-kun and N…Naruto-kun will d…definitely finish in first!" Hinata declared with as much confidence as she could muster. She felt incredibly self-conscious in her expensive kimono. The Hyūga clan was by far the wealthiest in all of Konoha. It wouldn't have surprised Hinata if her light blue kimono cost more than all the others combined.

Sakura 'humphed'. "China Doll, you are only saying that because you have an obvious crush on your lapdog."

_No one talks about Naruto-kun like that!_ "A…at least Naruto-kun is k..kind enough to speak t…to me in p…public! Ano, and y…you don't have a…any room to talk Billboard!"

Miyako-sensei stepped in before the most virulent kunoichi rivalry in the history of the Academy broke into a brawl. "Ladies, follow me to the examination."

The girls fell in line with perfect posture. Two assistant examiners followed behind the procession grading the performance of the perspective kunoichi. The girls finally reached a formal room. Miyako moved to the front of the exquisitely decorated room.

"Kunoichi can perform any role that male shinobi are capable of. However, you will often be called on to perform missions that men are incapable of. Kunoichi are the true masters of infiltration. I will call each of you into the next room. The setting is a formal party. The scenario is simple. You have been hired to infiltrate a noble's castle and steal vital information. This exercise is nowhere near as complex. All you girls will be required to do is exit the party without drawing suspicion to yourselves. Your performance will be assessed on numerous criteria. Remember, you must _act_ as if you are actually in a mission."

The Chunnin volunteer drew a name out of a jar at random. "First is Hyūga Hinata."

The second Chunnin volunteer led Hinata into the next room. There were numerous actors in place already. This exam was incredibly thorough.

_Why couldn't I be with Naruto-kun in the tracking exam? I can't use my Byakugan in this setting!_

One of the 'guests' must have sensed her disappointment. A younger man approached Hinata. "Are you alright, my lady?"

_This can work…_

"I… I m…must confess that I am, I am not feeling well." Hinata said truthfully. She was incredibly nervous. Naruto was her confidence! If he was absent, she felt hollow.

"Perhaps I could get you something to drink while you rest?" The young man smiled a bit too warmly. Hinata's senses perked up. It was suicide to allow a strange man to bring you a drink. If you didn't see it made, it was likely poisoned!

"Ano, I… I don't think I could hold it down…" She knew all about high society drinks. Hinata firmly believed they were meant to look good when you held them instead of tasting good when you drank them.

The actor was very good. He had a gleam in his eye that made Hinata want to lash out with her Jukken. "Then I shall escort you to your room…"

Hinata swayed a bit for effect. "I would appreciate that…"

The actor led Hinata out of the room. He had the skills to look surprised when Hinata activated her Byakugan and 'struck' him with a series of Jukken strikes. If she had actually hit, he would have been knocked unconscious. Anyone who found the actor would have believed he had passed out drunk.

Miyako-sensei was waiting a few feet away. "Excellent work, Hinata-sama. You did very well. You are dismissed."

"Thank you very much, Miyako-sensei." Hinata bowed perfectly in the kimono. She left the chamber and decided to take the shortest route back to Academy. The path would also take her by the staging grounds. She would get to find out how Naruto-kun did in his exam!

* * *

"Come on, Naruto! Shino's right! Just admit it and everything will be so much better!" Hibachi had finished his exam and eagerly joined the ribbing.

Naruto had enough. He would get them all to drop it!

_They want me to admit it! Fine! It's not like its anything to be ashamed of! _

"Fine! You want me to admit it?"

Almost everyone nodded eagerly. "Yeah, it won't be that bad!" Kenji taunted from the back.

Naruto cast an angry glare towards the voice. He hoped that no one would notice it was aimed at Mizuki. The teacher had been informing everyone who returned from their tracking test of Naruto's predicament.

"ALL RIGHT! I HAVE A HUGE CRUSH ON HINATA-CHAN. YOU JERKS HAPPY NOW?" Naruto shouted as he sprang to his feet.

There was a soft 'eep' that Naruto would recognize anywhere. "She's right behind me. Isn't she?"

Kiba, to his credit, looked embarrassed for his friends. "Yeah, she is."

Naruto slipped back into his seat and buried his head in his hands. He had never been so embarrassed in his life. All he had wanted was to talk to Kō about this before he said anything out loud. Instead, he just humiliated his best friend in front of every guy in the class except the teme. He heard her walk off as the laughter started.

The laughter cut like a kunai. Naruto could handle the situation if they had been laughing at him. But they weren't laughing at him. They were laughing at _Hinata_.

"Don't you **dare** laugh at her!" There was something in Naruto's voice that made everyone close stop their hysterics. Hibachi hadn't heard Naruto's voice and was exaggerating what had just happened.

"I SAID DON'T ANY OF YOU **DARE** LAUGH AT HINATA-CHAN!" Naruto's explosion silenced everyone. Even Mizuki's triumphant smirk evaporated. Naruto stormed off without another word.

The blond left the Academy for the day and never looked back. Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei had already given him permission to leave after his tracking exam. He didn't know what to do. What was he suppose to do? Neji and Hiashi were going to kill him. Kō was going to chew him out. Worst of all, Hinata would likely never talk to him again.

Well, if he was going to die, he was going to haunt the shit out of everyone in his class. Naruto climbed the stairs to the apartment. Some of the neighbors greeted him politely. The boy mechanically replied and entered the sanctuary of his home.

"You're back sooner than expected, Naruto." Kō greeted his little brother warmly. The Hyūga immediately became alarmed when Naruto didn't respond. He nearly panicked when Naruto slumped into a seat at the kitchen table. Kō _did_ panic when Naruto slammed his head into the table.

"I royally screwed up and now the entire Hyūga clan is going to hate me."

Kō sat down next to the distraught child and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sure that whatever happened will not result in everyone hating you."

"Yeah it will, I humiliated Hinata-chan today. She's going to hate me." Naruto still hadn't looked up.

The Chunnin was sure that his adopted younger brother was exaggerating. He was also beyond certain that Naruto would never deliberately do anything to hurt Hinata. Kō also knew that Hinata wasn't going to hate Naruto. He took a deep breath.

"Tell me what happened." Kō hadn't used his 'authoritative tutor' voice with Naruto since he joined the Academy.

Naruto finally looked at Kō. "Basically nii-san…" The blond Jinchūriki launched into his explanation of what had happened. He treated it like his tracking exam and focused on every relevant detail. Naruto emphasized how he wanted to keep things quiet until he could talk to Kō. The boy mentioned how Kiba and Chouji had started joking about it. Kō quickly realized Chouji and Kiba hadn't intended for the situation to get so out of hand. When he had calmed down, Naruto realized the two boys had tried to reign in the situation. The Hyūga was highly disturbed by Mizuki's handling of the 'mob'. It was highly unprofessional. Hiashi-sama **was** going to know about this!

"Naruto, we are going to the Compound. You need to speak with Hinata-sama. I will be speaking to Hiashi-sama regarding the behavior of Mizuki-sensei."

The boy shot up. "I can't talk to Hinata-chan! She hates me now!"

"Hinata-sama won't hate you Naruto."

Naruto scowled. "How do you know?"

"Do you trust me, Naruto?"

"I trust you, nii-san." Naruto nodded weakly.

* * *

Kiba wasn't looking forward to this conversation. He knew his mom would smell his bad mood the second he walked in the door. Akamaru whimpered on top of his head.

"I think we screwed up buddy." Kiba reached up and scratched the nin-ken behind the ears.

Kiba tried his best to sneak into the house. He successfully avoided the kennels. Kiba even had the self-control to avoid the kitchen. He made it to his room and flopped in his chair.

"Made it." He sighed triumphantly.

"More liked stepped in it." Kiba froze in terror and Akamaru whimpered. "Hana was volunteered for the Kunoichi exam."

_Oh damn_ _it. We did screw up!_

"This is about the, uh, Naruto thing right?" Kiba realized how lame he sounded.

"It is. Now get out of my lap." Tsume ordered and Kiba promptly obeyed. The young male Inuzuka lowered his head in the proper submissive poise. "Give me an explanation why you have harmed your pack."

"I was ribbing Naruto about his obvious crush on Hinata. My plan was just to get him to admit that he had a crush on her. Then, I was going to drop a few hints that she likes him too. Everything went downhill from there. Practically everyone but Sasuke-teme jumped in. The only reason the Uchiha didn't was because he was taking his tracking exam when everything happened. Hinata overheard Naruto admit his feelings after I lost control of the crowd. Everyone started laughing and Naruto exploded."

Tsume crossed her arms. "Why didn't you try to repair the damage to your pack right then?"

"Hinata had already run off and Naruto… when he got mad he smelled like a fox. I didn't want to push him then. Nobody did."

The matriarch of the Inuzuka Clan felt a flash of fear. How was she going to explain why Naruto smelt like a fox without breaking the Hokage's law? She would change tracks for now and speak with the Hyūga tomorrow.

"Alright, pup. You have kennel clean up for a week. On top of that, you are going to apologize to Naruto and Hinata for the damage your carelessness has done to your pack. Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am." Kiba winced at his mother's tone.

"I have one more question. When Naruto 'smelled like a fox' did you notice anything else about him then?"

"Yeah, he was really, really mad." Kiba said firmly because it was the most obvious answer in the world.

Tsume's glare bored into her son. "Any physical changes?"

"No. Why?"

It was the one question she hoped he didn't ask. "Kiba, not much is known about Naruto's clan. I was wondering if he might have a bloodline that manifests when he is angry. You **will not** mention this part of the conversation with Hinata or Naruto."

"Yes ma'am."

Tsume pointed at the door. "Now get to those kennels, pup!"

"This is troubling, Tsume." Kuromaru spoke for the first time as soon as Kiba had left.

The matriarch patted her one eyed canine companion on the head. "I think we can stop him from asking too many questions. You should talk to your pup about it later as well."

* * *

Hinata was torn. On the one hand, she was felt like she was in a dream. Naruto liked her too! On the other hand, he had been embarrassed in front of all the other boys. If she hadn't taken the shorter path back to the Academy Naruto wouldn't have been shamed. She had hurt Naruto-kun. Hinata's earlier jubilation melted away. He may have liked earlier, but after his embarrassment those feelings were likely gone.

She was grateful for the break in her Jukken training. Hinata was in no state for a spar. Hinata had waited at the Academy for Naruto after she changed out of her kimono. He never showed up. Shino informed her that Naruto had left in a fury at the rest of the class. The mysterious Aburame would not say anything else.

"Hinata-sama, you have a guest waiting in the gardens." A Hyūga guard informed Hinata.

"A guest? I will attend to them, Tokuma-san." Hinata bowed politely. A Branch family servant collected Hinata's kimono.

The heiress composed herself. If this was an official guest, she had to be perfect. Her every action, mannerism and word reflected on the clan as a whole.

"Thank you for waiting. I… I only just returned from the Academy." Hinata bowed graciously. The Hyūga heiress fell into the proper greeting immediately.

"It's ok, Hinata-chan." The voice caused Hinata to freeze. Her lavender eyes searched for the source. After a second, she found Naruto sitting on a bench staring off into the distance. Hinata had never seen Naruto like this. He looked so alone that it took all her will not to cry.

_What should I say?_ The two children thought as one.

"Ano, N…Naruto-kun. How… how did your exam g…go?"

"It, ah, went well. Kiba and I nearly broke the record." Naruto said with a flicker of his normal enthusiasm. Hinata was grateful for it.

"T…that's good." _What is going on? Naruto-kun is my best friend! Why is it so hard to speak to him?_

_She's my best friend! Why is it so hard to talk to her now?_ "Um, how did your formal exam go?"

"I did w…well. Mi…miyako sensei said I… I performed ad…admirably." Hinata couldn't fight the blush on her cheeks.

Hinata and Naruto sat quietly for several minutes. They were unsure of how to approach each other. Their fears of rejection were seeping forward. Occasionally, one would cast a glance at the other praying for a sign. The silence was painful for the friends.

As always, Naruto spoke first. "I understand if you hate me."

Hinata was struck by how despondent he sounded. This was not Naruto! Naruto was always full of confidence, hope and energy. Why couldn't she tell him? Why was it so hard to let him know that he was her confidence? Hinata did not want to imagine how broken she would be if Naruto had not been in her life. The weight of her failures and own insecurities would have crushed her. The heiress would have truly been the China Doll Sakura claimed she was.

"I could never hate you." Hinata had instinctively joined Naruto on the bench.

Naruto finally looked at Hinata. He searched her lavender eyes for any sign of a lie. There was only a comforting warmth. "I humiliated you today. _They _laughed at you."

"N…Naruto-kun, you didn't. I… I only c…cared about one opinion today." Hinata felt her breath catching in her chest. It was a struggle to focus. "Yours."

"Why?"

Hinata tried desperately to calm her breathing. These were likely to be the most important words she would ever say. "I… When I heard what you said… I was very happy. I was happy because…"

Hinata felt the words catch in her throat. She couldn't run away again. Her earlier cowardice had hurt Naruto. It would not hurt him again!

"I was happy because I like you as well."

A second silence descended. Unlike the previous awkward silence, there was no coldness. In its place, there was an unmistakable warmth.

"So, what do we do now?" Naruto asked with lopsided grin.

"I… I honestly did, didn't think that f…far ahead." Hinata giggled which caused Naruto to laugh alongside her.

"We'll figure it out." Naruto took Hinata's hand in his own.

* * *

Inuzuka Tsume escorted her son to the Hyūga compound when Naruto arrived.

"Good morning Tsume-sama, Kiba!" Naruto's tone was once again filled with his natural brashness and enthusiasm.

"No need for the 'sama', pup." Tsume hoped Minato's boy wasn't wearing a mask to hide his pain.

"How are you doing, Naruto?" Kiba asked with a hint of nervousness.

"I'm better. You?"

Kiba was glad to hear Naruto wasn't still pissed. "I've got kennel duty for the rest of the week."

"I'm sorry buddy." Naruto put a sympathetic hand on his friend's shoulder.

Kiba nodded as Tsume said her goodbyes. Akamaru barked a good bye to his father, Kuromaru. The boys remained behind and Kiba told Naruto of their placement.

"Man, we did great! Only the Teme came anywhere close and we still beat him by nearly three minutes!"

"Awesome. How bad did the other jackasses fare?"

Kiba was hopeful his pack could be repaired. "Oh man, you're going to _love _this! Remember Hibachi and Kenji?"

Naruto had an amused grin, but his eyes had a hardness to them Kiba was cautious about. "Well, they failed! They let the objective escape the testing area!"

Naruto's grin widened. "Ha! Serves them right!"

"Good morning Kiba, Naruto-kun!" Hinata jogged out of the compound and took Naruto's hand.

Kiba took a deep breath. Well, they were both here.

"Uh, Naruto, Hinata… I'm sorry for yesterday. I never meant for it to get out of hand like that."

"It's ok, dude." Naruto smiled broadly.

"A..apology accepted, Kiba-kun."

"Thanks guys. Come on, let's get to the Academy and find out about the Finals."

* * *

Tsume and Kuromaru were escorted into Hiashi's office by his twin brother. The Hyūga Family heads took a seat.

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Hiashi and Hizashi." Tsume said as she accepted some refreshments.

"It is no problem, Tsume-san. How may we strengthen the bonds between our clans?" Hiashi smiled at his beloved wife's closest friend.

"I'm sure you are aware of the situation with Naruto." Hizashi and Hiashi's amused looks answered the unspoken 'regarding Hinata' part of the question.

Hizashi nodded. "Hiashi-niisan has several meetings with the Clan Council regarding finances and several upcoming clan members attempting the Chunnin and Jonin exams. I will be meeting with the Hokage regarding Mizuki-sensei."

Tsume downed her drink. "That's good. I don't know how to approach this next topic, but… What are you going to do about Naruto's Burden?"

Hiashi nodded. "I understand your concern, Tsume. The Hokage has agreed to reveal the truth about the Kyūbi once Naruto becomes a Genin."

The Alpha of the Inuzukas took a deep breath. "That's good. I don't want my pup in danger. Yesterday, Kiba told me that Naruto smelled like a fox when he was angry."

"It is fortunate that Naruto will soon be aware of his Burden. Hizashi and I believe that Naruto will be accept his burden with the support of his Genin team."

Tsume laughed. "Pulling some strings are we?"

Hizashi smiled broadly. "It's actually Kō, Naruto's guardian, who came up with the idea yesterday. A friend of his, Wantanabe Yuji is forming his first Genin team. This Wantanabe-san is an accomplished Hunter-nin and trained Naruto. Kō has been keeping Wantanabe-san in the loop regarding Hinata, Kiba and Naruto's scores."

"Ah, so the Hokage finally convinced ole Yuji to take a team. I think I'll let the powers that be know I like the idea of Kiba working with Yuji-kun."

Hiashi smiled. "Your support would really help, Tsume. Yuji respects you greatly."

"Hmph! He better! I was his Jonin instructor after all!"

The clan heads spent the rest of the meeting telling embarrassing stories about their children, natural and adopted.

* * *

Naruto, Kiba and Hinata took their traditional seats in the back of the room. As usual, they had arrived fairly early and only Shino and strangely Shikamaru had beaten them. Shikamaru was asleep and Shino was reading a magazine on insects.

"Morning Shino!" Naruto practically shouted. The Aburame turned around and nodded at the group. He noticed that Hinata and Naruto were sitting much closer together than expected.

"Good morning Naruto-san, Hinata-san and Kiba-san. I hope there were no adverse effects from yesterday's incident. I apologize if I contributed to any distress."

Hinata spoke up. "Ano, Shino-san, everything w..worked out alright. Thank you for your concern."

The Bug user nodded politely and returned to his magazine. The rest of the class filtered in slowly. Hinata and Naruto were lost in their own little world while Kiba dozed off on his desk. Everyone had heard about Naruto's outburst. Thus, their shock was palpable when they realized that Hinata was not embarrassed to be seen near the blond. Hibachi made the mistake of making a crack at the couple. He flinched and walked away very, very quickly when Naruto glared at him and Hinata activated her Byakugan.

Ino's reaction surprised everyone the most. "Gah! Finally! I thought you two would _never _notice!"

Sasuke and Sakura were amongst the last to enter. Naruto realized they had probably been training.

"Hey Billboard, has the Teme acknowledged you in public yet?" Naruto fired the opening salvo in the daily insult exchange.

"Hn. At least I recognize she's attracted to me." Sasuke shot back.

"T…that insult won't work anymore, T…teme." Hinata lifted her hand and brought Naruto's along for the ride.

"Careful lapdog, you might shatter the doll." Sakura stuck her tongue out at Hinata.

Iruka 'ahem-ed' "If the Number Ones and Number Twos would cease their attempts to start the Fourth Great Shinobi War, I'll explain the final exams."

All conversation ended and the students took their seats. Ami stretched her hand towards the sky. She was acknowledged by Iruka. "Ano… Iruka-sensei, where is Mizuki-sensei?"

Iruka traced his scar with his thumb. "Mizuki-sensei is currently with a meeting and will be arriving later today."

The class murmured in confusion. "Are there no further questions? Very well. I would like to first take the opportunity to say it has been a pleasure to teach you over the past five years. I am convinced that Konoha's future is bright with such talented shinobi to defend her. Now, next week's final exams is made up of three assessments. First is academics. You will have a written test on tactics, history and theory. Next is a practical exam. Mizuki-sensei and I will test you on your basic ninjutsu abilities. Finally, we have a practical exam/tournament."

Several of the students panicked when the academic test was announced. Iruka started the review. Mizuki arrived just before lunch and made a quick speech about wishing everyone luck. The Academy students were dismissed for the day. The Academy would be open half days until the exam. Iruka announced he would stay the full day if any students needed additional help.

"Haruno Sakura, Hyūga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto would you please come to the front of the class before you leave?" Mizuki motioned for his students to approach the desk.

"I was speaking with Hokage-sama about the upcoming exams. Iruka, Hokage-sama and I have come up with an exciting idea. You four will have a special exam final round. It will be a two-on-two match. The teams should be obvious."

Iruka finished showing a corrected formula to Mayumi and turned to the top ranked students. "I know you all can't stand each other, but please keep the damage to a minimum. This is a graduation exam to become active duty shinobi. You are forbidden from severely wounding each other. Do we make ourselves very clear?"

"Yes, Sensei." The four students responded with varying levels of enthusiasm.

"It has been a pleasure teaching all of you." Hinata realized Mizuki's tone was forced. Sasuke and Sakura realized it as well. Naruto was so excited about the compliment and the prospect of the match that he missed the tone.

The four top students left the class. Neither side said a word until they exited the Academy building.

"Well, I guess we'll see you guys at the finals." Naruto said with false camaraderie.

"Shove it you annoying lapdog." Sakura shouted and moved to hit Naruto.

"I know Jukken." Hinata's quiet declaration shut down Sakura's potential attack.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted and led a scowling Sakura off towards the training grounds.

Kiba threw his arms over his pack's shoulders. "You two have turned that into an art form. It is truly a thing of beauty to behold."

"Naruto-kun and I practice our insults and snarky comebacks every day for an hour."

Said blond smiled and nodded. "It's amazing what you can do with Kage Bunshin, a few Henge and the guidance of a clan with a biting sense of humor."

Kiba and Akamaru barked with good humor. "I'll let you two love birds figure out how you are going to take down the Teme and Billboard! I've got… kennel duty."

"Hold up, Kiba. I need to talk to you." Naruto called out. Kiba and Hinata looked confused, but Naruto pulled Kiba off to the side.

"What is it, Naruto?" Kiba looked confused.

"I need some advice. I'm going to ask Hinata-chan to the festival next week." There was something contradictory about the tone of Naruto's declaration.

"Dude, that's awesome. You don't need advice. Hinata'll jump you the second you ask." Kiba said with a very amused smirk.

"I'm not worried about asking Hinata-chan. It's just that the Hyūga are a very _traditional_ clan."

"I don't see…" Kiba trailed off as realization hit him. "Naruto, you're a young man! There is no need to throw your life away."

"It's not that bad!' Naruto said with a bit too much emotion. Chouji walked over.

"Uh, Naruto, I don't mean to interrupt but I'd like to apologize for yesterday."

Naruto nodded 'sup'. "Don't worry about it Chouji. Everything worked out beyond great. I'm going to even ask Hinata to the Festival."

The Akimichi smiled. "That's great…" The same terrifying realization dawned on him. "Naruto, I've always considered you a true friend. I'll miss you buddy."

"Stop acting like I'm going hunting for Orochimaru!"

Ino had heard the commotion. Where there was commotion there was gossip! She couldn't resist.

"You're going to go hunting Orochimaru?"

"NO!" Naruto shouted. He cast a quick glance and made sure Hinata's curiosity hadn't led her to activate her Byakugan. "I'm going to ask Hinata-chan to the Festival."

Ino squeed. "Ohmigosh! That is great!" She turned to Chouji and Kiba. "Why is this a bad thing?"

Chouji leaned close and whispered into his friend's ear. Ino's eyes went wide in terror. "Naruto, I promise that I'll bring a beautiful bouquet to your funeral."

Shikamaru strolled over. "What troublesome conversation have I entered?"

Kiba shook his head. "We're all saying our goodbyes to Naruto. He's not long for this world."

Shikamaru looked to Naruto, over to Hinata and back to Naruto. "You know, it doesn't have to be official. Just meet up and skip the intermediate step that will likely end up with you dead."

"You guys aren't helping!" Naruto shouted and started walking towards Hinata.

"We are helping! We're trying to save you from being brutally murdered!" Kiba yelled in a naked and desperate attempt to save his best human friend's life.

Hinata took Naruto's hand. "Ano, what are they talking about Naruto-kun?"

Naruto laughed nervously at his friends' antics. "They are trying to talk me out of pranking the teme."

"You didn't tell them about the slingshot did you?" Hinata asked with worry etched on her face.

"No, I didn't tell them about the slingshot." Naruto laughed and squeezed her hand tighter.

The Hyūga heiress breathed a sigh of relief. "They can't know it was my idea. I don't want to know how Father would react."

The pair walked towards their destinations. They paused when Naruto got closer to his home.

"Hey, Hinata-chan. I've got to pick up some stuff from my place. I'll be at the compound later."

Hinata gave Naruto a quick hug. "Ok, Naruto-kun."

Naruto jogged off towards his apartment and was interrupted by the last person he wanted to encounter.

"Damn it, Teme. Can this wait?" Naruto groaned.

Sasuke leapt down from the tree he was lounging in. "No! I want a one on one fight with you! No fangirl or leash-holder interference!"

"But! I'm going to ask Hinata to next week's Festival tonight! I can't do that all bruised and shit from wiping the floor with you!" Naruto whined.

"You won't be able to ask her tonight! I'm going to send you to the hospital! Ask her when you get out!"

Naruto rubbed his temples. "You don't understand! It has to be tonight! The Hyūga are a very traditional clan…"

"NO! You can't do that! I am the only person who can defeat you! As satisfying as grinding your corpse into dust so that no memory of your existence ever existed would be… It won't be the same! I need you alive!"

Sasuke was so caught up in his rant; he failed to notice that Naruto had slipped away. The last Uzumaki grabbed his gear from the apartment and took the long way to the Hyūga compound. He was really hoping to avoid any more interference. The blond was in so much of a hurry he nearly ran over Shino.

"Excuse me, Naruto-san."

Naruto looked surprised. "Oh man, I'm really sorry Shino! I shouldn't be in such a hurry."

The Aburame adjusted his sunglasses. "I am sure you are aware that our chosen profession demands perfect situational awareness."

"I know. I was just thinking about how I'm going to ask Hinata-chan to the Festival."

Naruto noticed a slump in Shino's shoulders. "Naruto-san, I must confess it has been an enjoyable experience being in your company. I, and my entire clan, shall mourn your imminent passing."

"Not you too, Shino!" Naruto groaned. Eventually, Naruto reached his goal.

The Chunnin guards nodded politely. Naruto wanted to groan. He had felt so confident this morning when he had decided to ask Hinata out. Now, his friends and the Teme had undermined his confidence! This wouldn't be that bad would it?

_I mean, I've practically grown up here! Heck, if I had the Byakugan, I'd _be _Hy__ū__ga!_

"Good afternoon, Uzumaki-san." Naruto instinctively tensed. The voice was the one Naruto simultaneously wanted and feared to hear.

"Good afternoon, Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi arced an eyebrow at Naruto's overly polite tone. "Is everything alright, Naruto?"

"Uh, yes sir. I was wondering if I could, uh, talk to you for a minute…"

_I knew this day would come eventually. Ah… I'm going to feel guilty for having fun with this later._

"Follow me to my office." The clan head put every ounce of command he could into his voice. Naruto dutifully followed. Hizashi saw the pair approaching. Hiashi's mouth barely twitched into a grin. The Branch Family leader kept his face impassive. Inside his mind, Hizashi was cackling like a madman.

Hiashi took a seat behind his desk and motioned for Naruto to take a seat. "Uzumaki-san, what do need to speak with me about?"

"I… I would like permission to… to ask Hinata-chan to the Festival and start… start dating her." Naruto finished in a whirlwind.

"Date my daughter." Hiashi's tone could have caused a blizzard in Suna.

"Yes sir." Naruto sat perfectly straight and fought to keep eye contact.

_This man is a predator. I cannot show fear or he'll eat me alive!_

"Hinata is my eldest daughter and my heir. As you are no doubt aware, there are several sealed engagement requests for her once she becomes a Genin from wealthy clans and nobles."

_That I have absolutely no intention of considering! Hell, I'd burn them if I could get away with it! _Hiashi thought darkly.

He continued. "Clan law requires a vetting process before any courtship of the next Clan head can begin. The Hyūga must be aware of the character of any potential suitor. We must be assured that our future is treated with all due respect."

"I understand, Hiashi-sama." Naruto said in a small voice.

"I believe that the clan has been aware of your character and qualities from some time. You have been observed closely by the Council, Hizashi and myself for years. Thus, I have already passed judgment."

Naruto could only nod at the ice in Hiashi's voice. Naruto's heart sinking. Hiashi was going to say no.

"Uzumaki Naruto!" Time seemed to freeze. "Have Hinata back by eleven and have a great time."

"I'm sorry, but what?"

"Have fun, but make sure you have her back by eleven." Hiashi was clearly amused with his little joke.

"Thank you Hiashi-sama!" Naruto forced out quickly and left the office with a bow. He made it three steps before fainting with Hiashi's laughter filling the halls.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Merry Christmas everybody! I hope you had a great holiday! Thanks again to gamebrain89 for betaing the chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

Hinata nearly had a panic attack when she saw Naruto out cold in front of her father's office. What had happened? Had Naruto offended Father somehow? A million questions raced through her young mind as she rushed to her not-quite-official-boyfriend's side. She pulled him off the floor and placed him on a bench. The blond groaned and blinked a few times. Hinata tackled Naruto as he sat up.

"Naruto-kun! Are you ok? What happened?"

Naruto hugged her back. "I, uh, had a talk with your dad."

_Oh no!_ Hundreds of terrifying scenarios flashed in her mind. The lavender eyed heiress thought she was prepared for anything except for what had actually happened.

"Do you want to go to the October Festival with me?" Naruto was suddenly faced by a lack of oxygen. Hinata hugged even tighter while saying yes at the speed of sound.

"Don't forget you two are in a house where everyone can see through walls." Kō chuckled as he walked up. The chuckle turned into a bending over, side splitting laugh when the two turned bright red and shot to a close, but acceptable distance apart.

"Hiashi-sama and Hizashi-sama are meeting with the Council right now. I'm here to escort you before the Council."

"Kō-san, what does the Council wish to speak with us about?" _They can't be opposed to Naruto-kun escorting me to the Festival can they?_

"I think they want to give a 'pep talk' about your match with Billboard and the Teme." The Hyūga Chunnin had adopted his little brother's nicknames for the Uchiha and the Haruno.

Naruto leaned back against the wall. "The old farts want us to beat the crap out of them don't they?"

Kō groaned. "Naruto, I know you're excited about… pretty much everything, but please be respectful."

"Sure thing nii-san." Naruto and Hinata quickly made their way to the Council. Hizashi strode confidently over to his niece and Naruto.

"Naruto and Hinata, the Council is very eager to speak with you about the upcoming finals. Naruto, a moment."

Naruto walked a few steps away from Hinata to where Hizashi was standing.

"My brother let me know about your request. Have you asked her yet?" Hizashi's voice was firm.

"Yes sir." Naruto was suddenly very afraid.

"Excellent, but if I find out my niece was not treated with every ounce of the respect she deserves, I will Jukken you back to the days of the Sage of Six Paths. Am I clear?"

"Crystal sir."

"Good, the Council is only planning on saying a few words." Hizashi led the two Academy students into the Council chambers. Naruto and Hinata took their positions

Hisao smiled. "The Council thanks Hinata-sama and Uzumaki-san for their timely arrival. This body is aware of the late hour and will not keep you. The upcoming final exam match between Uzumaki-san and Hinata-sama is an opportunity for the clan to further increase our standing in Konoha. As such, we have requested that Hiashi-sama begin instructing Hinata-sama in the Clan's Advanced techniques. In addition, this council request that Uzumaki-san be trained in a complimentary fighting style."

Hinata bowed and Naruto quickly copied her motion. "We thank the esteemed Council for their recommendations."

Naruto decided to let Hinata do all the talking. The Council said a few more words about how Naruto and Hinata's grades were a source of pride for the clan. Naruto's eyes threatened to glaze over, but thankfully the meeting ended. Kō led the two Academy students from the chamber.

"Neh, Hinata-chan. What did the Council mean by Advanced Techniques?"

Hinata was still in shock that the Clan was so eager for her to advance her training. "P…probably the Hakkeshō Kaiten and the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō."

"I don't know if Iruka-sensei would let you use the Sixty Four Palms in our match next week." Naruto actually sounded disappointed he wouldn't be able to see Hinata literally demolish Sasuke or Sakura.

"True, but I need to start learning the technique. My father mastered the technique when he was nine."

Naruto threw his arm around Hinata. "You'll have it mastered in a week!"

Hinata blushed and looked down. "We… we should study for the exams."

The blond smiled warmly. "Let's check in with Kō and go to Ichiraku or Sayuri's before we get started."

The couple raced to get permission completely unaware they were being watched by the Council.

"Hiashi-sama, we must reiterate our concerns about revealing the truth about the Kyūbi to Naruto." Hisao interlocked his fingers as he leaned forward.

"Councilors, pray tell how you would have the truth revealed to Uzumaki-san?" Hiashi was answered only by silence. "Exactly! Would you have it revealed by an execution of one of Naruto's classmates? Of **my daughter or nephew?**" No, the course I have worked out with Hokage-sama is the safest way to inform Naruto of his burden."

Hideko was recognized to speak. "I agree with Hiashi-sama. I have disagreed with Hiashi-sama on points of tradition in the past, but this is truly the best course of action. We can provide the support the child will obviously need upon the revelation. Naruto will see that the Clan has always accepted him."

The support of Hideko was a shock to everyone. Hiashi knew there would be a price for his support. The only problem was that he had no idea what that price would be.

* * *

The Council had insisted that Naruto remain at the Hyūga compound until Naruto officially became a Genin. Naruto knew something big was brewing completely unrelated to the upcoming final exams or his budding relationship with Hinata. Hajime-sensei had been doing his best to distract the young Clan Ward, but there were only so many hours in the day.

"Uzumaki-san, you have done well for today." The ancient tutor was winded but wore a smile. It was strange to see the teacher who had railed about Naruto's overenthusiastic nature smiling.

"Thank you Hajime-sensei. How have you been enjoying your retirement?" Naruto bowed politely.

The old man laughed. "It has been enjoyable. I have done a great deal of painting. That does not change the fact that I am a Shinobi. I have one last lesson for the evening. There may come a day when you think you are as retired as I am. A Shinobi is never truly retired! If your village calls upon you answer, for loyalty to Konoha transcends everything! Your second greatest loyalty is to your Clan and family. If they summon you, duty demands you answer no matter your condition!"

Naruto nodded. "I understand, Hajime-sensei."

The old man picked up his cane. "Uzumaki-san, you have certainly matured over the years. I have no doubts you will make a magnificent ninja."

"Thank you, Hajime-sensei!" Naruto beamed. The ancient shinobi patted the child on the head.

"I believe that Hinata-sama's training will be done soon. You are dismissed."

Naruto bowed again and bolted through the halls. Free from his training, his mind returned to the conversations he had been hearing for the past two days. Once again, the talk centered on the mysterious 'it'. The Hyūga were discussing why the Hokage had decided to reveal 'it' now. Naruto had noticed the unease in their voices when talking about 'it', but unlike the civilians they did not hate Naruto because of 'it'. His curiosity was burning, but something was telling him that 'it' was a subject best left alone for now.

"Excuse me, Hoheto-san." Naruto asked the tall and muscular Jonin.

"Is there something you need, Uzumaki-san?"

Naruto nodded. "I was wondering where Hiashi-sama and Hinata-sama are training."

The Jonin's squeaking laugh was completely at odds with his physical appearance. "Hiashi-sama is training _your girlfriend_ in the primary dojo."

The Uzumaki went bright red and the Jonin strolled down the hall laughing. The primary dojo was one of the centers of the Hyūga Clan. It was reserved only for ritual combat and training of the Clan Head and the heir. If a non-Hyūga were to enter the hallowed grounds, it would be a serious breach of protocol.

Uzumaki Naruto was never one for protocol.

In addition, Hiashi was already breaching protocol. The Clan Head, as is his right, had invited his twin brother and son to the dojo. Officially, the two were to assist with Hinata's training. The truth was that the twin brothers were training Neji in the techniques as well.

"Naruto-kun, how was your training with Hajime-sensei?" Hizashi asked while Neji recovered from the rigorous training.

"He's old and cranky at times, but Hajime-sensei is a great teacher and ninja. I got some great advice from him." Naruto bowed.

Hiashi helped his exhausted daughter to her feet. Hinata greedily drank from a glass of water Hanabi gave her.

"Brother, are the seals active?" Hiashi asked and received a nod in response. "Children there is something Hizashi and I must ask of you."

Naruto, Hanabi, Hinata and Neji froze in place. The level of secrecy was a bit frightening. Naruto wondered if the mysterious 'it' would be revealed. Hiashi took a deep breath.

"The Hyūga Clan cannot continue to exist as it stands. The Caged Bird Seal is an abomination. The nature of the Main and Branch Houses will eventually doom us to civil war."

The Hyūga children felt their exhaustion triple at Hiashi's declaration. Naruto's confusion was growing, but before he could say anything Hizashi spoke.

"My brother and I long dreamed of healing the rift between the Houses, but fate conspired against us. We are far too restrained by the Council to fulfill our ambitions. Thus, we are entrusting our goals to you. What Hiashi and I are asking of you is nothing less than the destruction of the Hyūga clan."

Hinata gasped and hid her mouth behind her hands. Neji looked to his father for an explanation and Hanabi hugged her sister's leg. The Clan Ward finally spoke.

"Hiashi-sama, Hizashi-sama… What the hell are you talking about? Why am I included?"

"Naruto, there are laws in place that prevent me from revealing information I firmly believe you need to know on pain of death. However, I know that you will become a magnificent Shinobi of Konoha. There is no limit to what you can achieve. To what all of you can achieve. In order to save the Hyūga clan, Hinata, Hanabi and Neji will need outside support."

Hinata was shaking under the weight of the revelations. "F…father… what, what do y…you mean d…destroy the Hyūga C…clan?"

The Clan Head knelt in front of his daughters. He drew them into an embrace. "My daughters, the Clan cannot survive divided. The Caged Bird Seal is evil and the Clan Laws surrounding it are inhuman. Do you think it is right that any Main branch family member could activate the seal on Neji or Hizashi-ojisan and kill them with no punishment?"

Hanabi started crying. "I won't let them!"

The elder sister cried as well. "We are family! Are we the o…only ones w…who care?"

Neji took a deep breath. "I know that there are others in the Clan who would support this goal. The Branch Family would side with us! Kō-san, Hajime-sensei and others in the Main Branch would as well!"

Hizashi nodded. "Our efforts to heal the rift have focused on the children of the Branch and Main families. We cannot guarantee that the entirety of the Branch would side with us. It is up to your generation to save the Clan."

The adults continued their bombardment of conspiracy and hopes. "My brother is correct. We are simply laying the foundations for your ultimate triumph. We have faith in all of you."

Naruto's gaze hardened. "Hiashi-sama, I am grateful that you trust me but I need to know why I am being included in all of this."

Hizashi shook his head. "Naruto, we told you that there is no limit to what you can achieve. Laws we do not agree with permit us from revealing the full truth to you, but… we believe you have the potential to surpass even your father."

Naruto collapsed. "You… you knew who my parents were?"

Hiashi nodded sadly. "They were amazing ninja, Naruto. They loved you greatly. But they had many enemies. They died when the Kyūbi attacked. The Hokage sealed their identities because without them you were vulnerable. My brother and I are putting everyone in this room at risk for nearly telling an S-class secret."

"Father and Uncle, this is a great deal for us to take in. I believe the four of us have a great deal to discuss in private." Neji spoke with an unusually emotional voice.

The family heads nodded and left. The children sat in near silence. Hanabi was whimpering in her sister's arms. Naruto was pacing and Neji stood rigid with his hands behind his back.

"Why did they tell us so soon?" Naruto took the lead. "Only Neji is even an active duty Shinobi. Hinata-chan and I won't be official ninja until after the exams in a week! Hanabi-imouto hasn't even started the Academy yet! Why now? Something has to be forcing their hands."

Neji nodded. "It has to be a Council issue. Seiji-sama and Hisao-sama are both very old. They can't serve much longer."

Hanabi sniffed. "Seiji-sama won't be on the council m…much longer. I heard one of the d…doctors say he was going blind…"

The statement confirmed Neji's theory. Blindness in a clan built around a Dojutsu was practically the equivalent of death.

"Ano, who would replace Seiji-sama?" Hinata had recovered enough to control her stutter.

Neji slapped his face to fight off the fatigue. "I am not sure. We need a course of action."

The only non-Hyūga present huffed loudly. "Well, we have to deal with the Council. Most of those Old Geezers might just die in a few years. Hinata-chan, can you find out who the possible replacements are? We also need to become friends with all the kids our age in the Clan. They need to see us as leaders. More importantly, they need to see each other as _family_. If things go pear-shaped, we'll probably need the support of other clans. And if we can't get them to support us, we at least need them not to get involved in Hyūga affairs."

Hinata felt her breath catch as the image of Naruto in the Hokage robes flashed in front of her eyes. "I… I agree with Naruto-kun. I… I want our clan to be a family again. Ano, when I'm training with Father to run the Clan, I can find out who is in line for Council seats."

"What can I do to help?" Hanabi chewed her lip.

Naruto smiled. "Keep your ears and eyes open. People won't expect you to be paying attention. If you hear anything important, tell us in secret."

The oldest conspirator present nodded. His face was hard. "This is the most dangerous mission any of us will likely ever have. What we are doing could tear Konoha apart. We need to swear that everything we have talked about and will talk about remains secret."

"W…we are just… kids." Hinata trembled.

"And in less than a week, you will be a _soldier_, nee-chan."

The firm declaration caused a second silence to descend upon the reeling children. They each swore in turn to keep what had occurred a secret. In the space of twenty minutes, they had sacrificed their childhoods for the safety of Konoha and the Hyūga Clan.

* * *

Sasuke blocked Sakura's kick and swept her off her feet. The pinkette was exhausted, but the training was necessary. They had to defeat Naruto and Hinata! The last loyal Uchiha had practically made the Haruno his apprentice. Sakura wouldn't lie that she was giddy at the proximity to her crush. She had quickly learned to appreciate the other benefits. Sasuke had granted her access to some of the Uchiha Library's scrolls. Sakura had poured herself into the genjutsu scrolls. Mizuki-sensei had mentioned that she had amazing potential for genjutsu. Unfortunately, the Academy barely covered genjutsu beyond the basic concepts and how to dispel them. Sasuke-kun had told Sakura that her greatest strength was genjutsu. That had given Sakura an idea.

"_Sasuke-kun, I think I should focus on Naruto in our match." Sakura had been proud of herself. She hadn't swooned when she said his name._

"_Hinata is your rival. You came to me because you want to beat _her_." Sasuke flipped a page on his notes._

_Sakura nodded. "I know that Sasuke-kun, but China Doll has all the tools to shut down my strong points and exploit my weakness. The Byakugan can see through most genjutsu and Gentle Fist is much stronger than my Taijutsu. Naruto is weak against Genjutsu. The only thing he struggled more with than dispelling Genjutsu was the Bunshin."_

"_Hn." The inflection of Sasuke's trademark nonverbal response meant that he was a bit impressed. "Very well."_

Sakura stumbled to her feet. "I need to get to his sides faster."

"Naruto for all his many, many faults is not a slouch in taijutsu. I am actually pushing you harder than he will."

"I know. Neh, Sasuke-kun… What will you do when you become a Ninja?"

The Uchiha smirked. "I am going to awaken my Sharingan as soon as possible. Then I will kill Itachi. Only with him dead, will I be able rebuild the Uchiha Clan!"

"I can help you with that!" Sakura blurted out. The training partners realized what the kunoichi said at the exact same time. Sakura turned a shade of red that rivaled Hinata and covered her mouth. Sasuke stared at her quietly for a moment. The last Uchiha did something many thought impossible. He laughed.

* * *

Hinata and Naruto walked together towards the Academy. Kiba wasn't joining them today because a litter of puppies had just been born. The Inuzuka took births, both canine and human, very seriously. The only Uzumaki respected that about his friend's clan. The Inuzuka placed family above everything but Konoha. Kiba's rant about Uchiha Itachi would be forever burned into Naruto's mind.

"Did you get any sleep last night, Hinata-chan?"

The heiress smiled and leaned into Naruto. "Not really. I had a lot to think about."

Naruto only nodded. "Well, we have a lot of work to do."

The conversation sounded to the world like it was about the upcoming Academy exams. Hinata and Naruto were determined to keep it that way. The pair arrived at the normal time and found only Iruka and a handful of students there.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun, Hinata-sama!" Iruka greeted them warmly.

"Good morning Iruka-sensei!"

Naruto really liked Iruka-sensei. He treated everyone fairly and equally. The teacher didn't have to be at the Academy today. In fact, the Academy was officially closed in the week leading up to the final exams. The reasoning was that students would spend the week training and studying with their clans. However, Konoha had a higher than normal number of Academy Students from civilian families. Iruka couldn't stand to see any of his students fall behind. So, every day he would head to the Academy and help any student who needed it. Iruka didn't know it, but many civilian families had petitioned the Hokage to name the scarred Chunnin headmaster of the Academy.

Hinata and Naruto took their traditional seats and studied chakra theory. Occasionally, the other students would come asking for help. Hinata would show them the concept and Naruto would give the students encouragement.

"Naruto and Hinata-sama, could you come to my desk please?" Iruka called out.

"Yes, Iruka-sensei?" They asked in unison.

The teacher smiled. "It has been a pleasure teaching you. You two will make excellent Shinobi and I hope that when one of you becomes Hokage, you'll remember your old and hopefully retired teacher."

Hinata and Naruto couldn't believe that Iruka had so much faith in them. Hokage? He believed each of them had the potential to be a Hokage?

"I… I don't know what to say, but thank you, Iruka-sensei." Naruto bowed. Hinata quickly followed suit.

"Come on, I'll buy you two lunch. Consider it payment for the D-ranked tutoring mission you just performed."

The trio walked through the streets of Konoha. Hinata accidently let something slip that gave Iruka pause.

"You mean one of those giant two person slingshots?"

Hinata intently studied the ground. "Yes, I was wondering how fast they could be used. They look like fun."

"Pretty fast. I had one as a kid. Mizuki, my other friends and I used them in water balloon fights."

Naruto quickly added. "Yeah, we were thinking of getting one and having a water balloon fight tournament at the Compound. Neji, Hinata-chan and I were thinking of disguising it as 'Byakugan training'."

It was the best lie Naruto had ever told. Naruto and Hinata really didn't want to disappoint Iruka-sensei by telling him they were going to prank Sasuke-teme with it. Their teacher's unshakable confidence in their future success shamed them into not mentioning their planned mischief. Ichiruka Ramen was a welcomed sight. Naruto ordered half a dozen bowls of Ramen. Hinata and Iruka ordered normal portions.

"I know I'm suppose to remain impartial during the exams, but I want you two to know that I'm rooting for you." Iruka said suddenly.

"Thank you, Iruka-sensei." Hinata smiled warmly. Naruto nodded in agreement as he downed his fourth bowl and started on his fifth.

The conversation was light as Naruto finished his final bowl. Iruka paid and parted ways. Naruto and Hinata sat and enjoyed each other's company.

Teuchi took the empty bowls from the couple. "So, when are you two going to be here on a date?"

Naruto and Hinata invented nine new shades of red at the old man's comment.

* * *

"I would like to wish all of you the best of luck! This written exam is one of the last steps towards becoming active duty shinobi of Konoha! I am proud of all of you! This class, without a doubt, is one of the most talented collections of aspiring ninja I have ever seen! In this group, I see a bright future! Perhaps, sitting in this room is the future Rokudaime Hokage!"

_I see your Legacy, Minato. It should be you giving this speech, not me. _

The class was in a state of near shock. Neither Mizuki-sensei or Iruka-sensei was handing out the test. It was the **Hokage**! As if this test wasn't stressful enough! There were several loud gulps as the Professor sat at the teacher's desk.

"You may begin!" The Hokage commanded in a warm grandfatherly tone.

Naruto focused on the test. He had studied his ass off for this! Then he saw the sixth question: What effect does a Raiton Jutsu have on a target's motor function if the jutsu strikes the target in the space between the right and left lung?

They were starting on Chakra theory! He was doomed!

Hinata was methodically making her way through the test. She was incredibly nervous, but Naruto was next to her. They had studied almost every moment they weren't training for the Ninjutsu exam or the match with Billboard and the Teme. Then again, the Hokage was watching her exam! She closed her eyes and took a calming breath. Hinata had never wanted a cinnamon roll so bad in her life.

Akamaru appeared to be the single most bored creature in all of creation. The nin-ken puppy was curled up at the edge of the desk with its eyes barely open. Every once and a while, it would whimper or yip as if dreaming.

In truth, he was helping Kiba cheat like there was no tomorrow. They were Ninja! They were _suppose_ to cheat!

"Time!" The Hokage did not shout, but everyone in the classroom put down their pencils. "Please bring up your tests. I will have them graded by the end of the third exam. Once again, I wish you all the best of luck!"

The students left the main classroom and were greeted by Mizuki-sensei. "Well, you finished the first exam, please follow me to the next room. Your Ninjutsu exam is about to begin."

Mizuki led the first student into the other room. The remaining students quickly gathered into their traditional cliques. The Sandaime Hokage, the original and not the Shadow Clone grading the tests, sat in his office appraising the groups for potential cells. He saw that a few cliques would make solid teams. Hibachi and the twins Kenji and Miho got along very well. They had similar skills and talents such as above average genjutsu scores and a natural affinity for traps. Wantanabe Yuji was expressing great interest in Naruto, Inuzuka Kiba and Hyūga Hinata for his first team. There was also the second generation Ino-Shika-Cho.

Naruto sighed. "I can't believe the Hokage gave our test! As if there wasn't enough pressure already."

"N…naruto-kun, I think the Hokage being there was part of the test as much as the questions. They were seeing how we dealt with unexpected stress." Hinata gave voice to her own nervousness.

Kiba gaped. "Unexpected stress! We had enough expected stress with just the test!"

Mizuki emerged. "Uzumaki Naruto, please come with me."

"Be right there, Mizuki-sensei!" He turned to his friends. "Wish me luck!"

"Luck dude!" Akamaru barked in unison with his partner.

"Do your best, Naruto-kun!" Hinata called out. The sudden realization that everyone was staring at her caused her to flush red.

Mizuki sat next to Iruka. "Welcome to the Ninjutsu exam. First begin with the Henge no Jutsu."

Naruto nodded and flashed through the Dog, Boar and Tiger seals. "Henge!"

The puff of smoke disappeared and a perfect copy of Iruka sensei appeared flashing a v-for-victory sign. Mizuki sighed in annoyance and Iruka smiled in approval.

"Very good Naruto!" Iruka continued to beam. "Next, is the Kawarimi no Jutsu. Begin."

All of Naruto's teachers, from Yuji-sensei to Hajime-sensei to Iruka-sensei had all stressed the importance of the Body Replacement. Thus, Naruto had practiced this technique a great deal. His hand seals were crisp and quick. Even Mizuki-sensei was grudgingly impressed. Naruto switched places with one of the logs that had been left in the room for the exam.

"Good use of hand seals. Now, use the Bunshin technique." Mizuki ordered.

Naruto nodded and flashed the unique hand sign. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Nearly two dozen perfect clones of Naruto emerged from the cloud of smoke. The original wore a triumphant smile. Iruka was about to record that Naruto passed when Mizuki interrupted.

"I was unaware you were hard of hearing, Naruto. I gave you an _order_ to use the Bunshin technique."

Iruka gave his friend a questioning look. "I don't see the problem, Mizuki. Naruto performed a far more difficult technique and did so flawlessly."

Mizuki shook his head. "The _boy_ must learn to properly obey orders. If he can't follow simple instructions, how can he be a proper member of a cell? He will be as big of a threat to his team as the enemy."

Naruto bristled as Mizuki's dislike for him was finally revealed. The insinuation that Naruto would ever put Hinata-chan or any other Leaf Shinobi filled in danger him with burning anger. Naruto would rather take a running leap off the Hokage Monument than do anything to hurt a fellow Konoha Ninja. Iruka and Mizuki continued to argue. Every once and a while, Mizuki would take a shot at Naruto. The grey haired bastard would generally make a snide comment about failing to live up to the Hyūga's high standards.

Suddenly, Mizuki's plan hit him like the Jukken waiting for Naruto from Hiashi-sama if Naruto didn't treat Hinata-chan to the best date ever. Not that Naruto would ever dream of treating Hinata-chan like anything less than the princess she was, but the point still stood.

Mizuki wanted Naruto to attack him.

Why was he trying to provoke Naruto like this? Was Mizuki really that interested in making sure the Teme won Rookie of the Year?

Naruto watched as the argument became far more heated. He didn't know what to do and was about to send one of his clones to get another teacher.

"I believe this debate has gone on long enough." Everyone immediately froze, including the agitated Shadow clones. "Young Naruto may have not demonstrated the standard Bunshin technique, but as Iruka-sensei said, the Kage Bunshin is a far more taxing skill."

Mizuki gulped. "But, Hokage-sama!" Naruto resisted the urge to laugh at the horrified expression on the teacher's face. No one had noticed the Hokage enter the room.

"Young Naruto passes the exam. Mizuki-san, you are to report to the Tower at the conclusion of the examination. I expect you to arrive promptly." Mizuki barely had time to respond in the affirmative before the Hokage vanished in a puff of smoke.

_That was a Shadow Clone! I thought that was the actual Hokage!_ Naruto thought in awe.

"Excellent work, Naruto! You can go now. Please tell Hinata-sama she is up next." Iruka was proud, but his voice was strained.

Naruto bowed politely at Iruka, but completely ignored Mizuki. He quickly found Hinata. "You're up next, Hinata-chan. Be careful, Mizuki is pissed off. He tried to screw me over but Jiji tore him a new one for it. Good luck!"

Hinata flashed a worried smile. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

Kiba stood at Naruto's side. "Don't worry, man. Mizuki wouldn't risk pissing off the Hyūga on top of getting the Hokage mad at him."

The blond nodded. "Yeah. I mean, if they threatened to Jukken me back to the Sage of Six Paths for taking Hinata-chan on a bad date, imagine what they'd do to Mizuki if he tried to cause Hinata to fail her exam."

"ANBU would never find Mizuki-teme's body." Kiba said with absolute confidence.

Hinata emerged from the testing room and rejoined her two friends. "Naruto-kun! We need to get ready for our match."

"Alright." Naruto turned to Kiba and Akamaru. "Good luck you two!"

* * *

Shino knocked Maasaki from the ring in an almost nonchalant manner. The taijutsu exam had been fun to watch, Naruto admitted. Kiba had won his match quickly. Kenji had practically leapt from the ring when the fight was announced. Granted, neither Naruto or Hinata had paid very much attention to the fights. They were concentrating on their own preparations. The match against Sasuke and Sakura was their primary focus.

"I guess we'll stick with Plan A, Hinata-chan." Naruto whispered as he stretched.

Hinata entered into split and Naruto felt his higher brain functions begin to shut down. "I… I agree, Naruto-kun. The Teme has the Uchiha Crest on his outfit. That means he knows the Grand Fireball. I can defend against that with my Kaiten."

"Yeah, but…" Naruto was silenced by a smile from Hinata.

"Ano, N…naruto-kun, p…please h…have faith in me." Hinata still couldn't bring herself to admit the true depths of her feelings to Naruto. The constant exposure to Naruto had built up her confidence, but there were still times when she needed Naruto's approval and support to push forward.

"I always have faith in you." Naruto grinned. "With all the training we've gotten from your family, there is no way we can lose."

Hinata returned the grin shyly. She finished stretching and stood. On the opposite side of the ring, Sasuke and Sakura were completing their own preparations.

"Are you ready, Sakura?" It was the first time Sasuke had spoken to her since they left the training grounds.

Sakura was buoyed by the small verbal acknowledgment. "I am, Sasuke-kun."

There was no response as Sasuke merely returned his attention to the semi-final fight between Kiba and Hibachi. The Inuzuka and the nin-ken circled their opponent. The class was reminded of a pack of wolves circling a deer. Hibachi began a standard attack pattern. Kiba batted aside the punches and sidestepped the kicks. The feral smile on Kiba's face never faltered, even when Hibachi got a grazing hit on his shoulder. Kiba promptly kicked Hibachi in the gut. The brown-haired student doubled over from the impact. He cried out in pain as Akamaru latched on his back.

"I give!"

"Winner, Inuzuka Kiba." Mizuki's voice held false cheer.

The kunoichi final was between Ino and Ami. The fight lasted several minutes as each student blocked and countered. Ino eventually connected with a punch that sent Ami sprawling. The boy's final was between Shino and Kiba. Naruto was eager to watch what was sure to be a great fight. He shouted encouragement to his friend as Iruka-sensei told them to begin. Kiba and Akamaru immediately charged the Aburame. They pounced as one, intent on ending the fight in a quick and spectacular manner. The bug user simply dove to the ground. The Inuzuka sailed over his prone opponent and landed outside the ring.

"What the f…" Kiba shouted, but was cut off by Iruka's overly loud announcement that Shino had won.

Mizuki congratulated Shino on his victory and called for the teams to enter the ring. The graduating class buzzed with excitement. Iruka caught several students placing bets and chewed them out. Sasuke, Hinata, Naruto and Sakura stared each other down. The dislike was almost visible in the air between them.

"You two can't possible win." Sasuke taunted.

"I… I am sorry, Sasuke. I can't, I can't h…hear you o…over the s…sound of my a…active Dojutsu." Hinata stammered out the insult Naruto had been coaching her on for the past week. Sasuke shook with anger at the insult and Sakura made a dismissive noise. Naruto, for his part, was laughing heartily.

Iruka rolled his eyes. "Remember, you are forbidden from trying to cripple or severely injure each other. Begin!"

The crowded gym erupted as the children cheered. Kiba was shouting loudly for his friends as Akamaru howled. Naruto had always possessed heightened senses and was shocked for a moment.

_Did I just hear _Shino_ wish me luck?_

Naruto quickly shook the thought from his head. The blond stared intently at Sakura.

"Realizing how much hotter I am than the China Doll?" Sakura said in a silky voice.

"Nah, I'm just wondering how I'm going to hit anything other than your fucking huge forehead."

Sakura wailed and charged. Naruto expected her to attack straight on, but she rolled to her side and kicked out at his right shoulder. The Jinchūriki couldn't dodge in time and took a blow to the shoulder. Several people cheered. Others gasped in shock that Sakura had managed to even hit Naruto.

Naruto simply rolled his shoulder. "Not bad."

He flashed his new favorite hand seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

"Oh crap." The pinkette said in a small voice and was completely surrounded by grinning Narutos.

A few feet away, Sasuke was dodging an onslaught of Jukken strikes. The last Uchiha couldn't block Hinata's attacks. If he did, the small heiress would simply take the opportunity to shut down the tenketsu in his arms. The Hyūga clan was inferior to the Uchiha, but Sasuke had to admit their taijutsu style was the most devastating on the planet. Sasuke quickly wondered if he could duplicate the style when he activated his Sharingan. The happy distraction slowed his movement for a heartbeat and Hinata managed to land a glancing blow on Sasuke's left side. The Uchiha leapt away in order to get out of Hinata's short reach.

He grunted as he landed. The area where the Jukken strike landed was already numbed. He had to end this quickly. The Uchiha flashed through the Hand seals almost reverently.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" The fireball leapt from his lips and roared its rage at the petite Hyūga.

Shouts of horror escaped from the crowd. Hinata was clearly breathing hard and fast.

"Hakkeshō Kaiten!" There was an unmistakable quaver in Hinata's voice. The Grand Fireball impacted against the chakra sphere.

"How! There is no way you could master that technique!"

Sakura charged the nearest Naruto and cast a simple Genjutsu. It was one from the Uchiha library. The Genjutsu, known as the Haze of Time, dulled the target's perception of time. It gave the illusion of the caster being much faster than they really were. She threw a punch at the Naruto in the face, but it dodged.

"Something you keep forgetting, Billboard! I'm a Shadow Clone! If the Original ain't affected, I ain't affected!"

Sakura couldn't believe it! That wasn't the real Naruto. Where was he?

"Right here!" Sakura's eyes went wide with shock as Naruto used Kawarimi to switch places with the Clone. Naruto knocked Sakura out with a harsh punch to the gut. The Clones high-fived each other and followed the Original Naruto to support Hinata.

Hinata was exhausted from her single Heavenly Spin. It took an incredible portion of her chakra to perform. When the strain of the Kaiten was combined by the constant drain of the Byakugan, Hinata was running low on Chakra. She was so exhausted she collapsed and weakly supported herself on her hands and knees.

"You're finished! That technique took all of your Chakra! There is no way you can win a one on one fight, Hyūga!"

"Good thing this is a seventeen on one fight then!" A chorus of Naruto's shouted in anger.

Sasuke went wide eyed. _How the hell did he make so many? A Jonin would struggle with two! The lapdog could only produce one in class!_

The onrushing horde of Narutos was the far greater threat than the exhausted Hyūga. Even as he changed targets, Sasuke never slowed his hand signs.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" The fireball incinerated half of the onrushing Clones. Sasuke smirked at his victory.

"D..don't think I…I am done!" Hinata wheezed. _I have to make Naruto-kun proud!_

The original Naruto had never seen Hinata move so gracefully. Hinata practically danced as she shut down her opponent's tenketsu points.

Any other opponent would have yielded.

Any other opponent would not have been Uchiha Sasuke. His left side was painfully numb and his right arm was incapable of molding chakra. He charged anyway and fought Naruto in taijutsu. He dispelled a single clone before the original and a clone tossed Sasuke out of the ring.

"Winners, Hyūga Hinata and Uzumaki Naruto!" Iruka announced with pride. Naruto ran over to Hinata and spun her around. The heiress's blush was hidden by her fatigue. The sudden whooping from the boys and the squeals of the girls, however, caused her to practically glow.

Mizuki helped Sasuke and Sakura to their feet. After a moment of recovery, the class was led back to the main classroom. Iruka stood front and center with a proud smile on his face.

"You are all probably tired of hearing this by now, but it has been an absolute pleasure to be your teacher. When you hear your name called, come forward and accept your Hitai-ate!"

Iruka began calling off names. It seemed that almost everyone who had attempted the final exam passed. Naruto almost caused Hinata to trip down the stairs with his exuberant cheering when Iruka announced she was the first place kunoichi. Naruto caused a _second _scene when he and Kiba spent nearly two minutes performing an overly elaborate handshake.

Iruka stopped as he reached the end of the roll. "We now come to the final two graduates. These two exceptional shinobi were practically neck and neck all year. In fact, the title of Rookie of the Year came down to the grade of the final exam. Uzumaki Naruto, congratulations on graduation!"

Naruto was filled with undeniable pride. He was now an official Konoha Ninja! He was only slightly disappointed that Sasuke had beaten him for Rookie of the Year.

"I'm proud of you, Naruto." Iruka confided in the blond as Naruto became a Genin.

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka nodded. "And now, I am pleased to announce our Rookie of the Year! Uchiha Sasuke!"

Sasuke and Naruto passed each other on the stairs. "I win, lapdog."

Naruto bit back a retort and sat beside Hinata. They waited as Mizuki said some parting remarks.

"Congratulations and we wish you the best of luck as you serve Konoha! Report back to the Academy tomorrow morning to receive your Genin team assignments!"

The newly promoted ninja cheered and were dismissed. Parents, relatives, guardians and other well wishers were waiting outside.

"Man, its like someone started the Festival three days early." Kiba whistled as a civilian man popped a cork off a bottle of something.

"Ano, the...the t…timing of g…graduation is, isn't l…likely a coincidence." Hinata blushed as she mentally corrected Kiba. _It's actually two days, nineteen hours and forty-two minutes away_.

Naruto nodded. "Hinata's usually right about these things." He suddenly jumped in the air and shouted. "Sorry, a bit excited."

A gruff laugh cut off any response. "Don't worry pup! You have every right to be."

"Hi mom." Kiba waved as Akamaru jumped off his head. The nin-pup started barking and yipping in conversation with Kuromaru.

Tsume hugged her son. "I'm proud of you pup. You did your clan and pack proud today." The alpha female of the Inuzukas turned to her son's pack. "Congratulations to the two of you as well."

"Thank you, Tsume-san." Naruto and Hinata chorused. Tsume and Kiba headed off as the boy excitedly retold and embellished his fights in the taijutsu exam.

Naruto and Hinata laughed as they heard Tsume order Kiba to 'cut the crap'.

"I can't believe _it graduated _and with honors!" A civilian woman mumbled within earshot of Naruto and Hinata.

"Don't talk about that here! Not only is talking about it forbidden, you'll anger the Hokage _and_ the Hyūga clan!" Another civilian harshly cut off the other.

"N…naruto-kun, what is _it_?" Hinata whispered.

The blond instinctively ran his fingers across his whisker-like birthmarks. "I… I don't know, Hinata-chan. I've only really heard civilians talk about it."

The two wove their way through the crowd. Hiashi, Hizashi, Kō and a few other noteworthy Hyūga were waiting.

Hiashi stepped forward. "The Clan has been informed of your graduation and placement and is very proud." The others nodded almost ritualistically. Hiashi hugged his daughter. "And I am proud as your father, Hinata."

Kō ruffled Naruto's hair. "Congratulations, Naruto. I'm proud of you, little brother. Don't worry too much about finishing second to Sasuke. Enemy ninja won't care about Academy ranks."

Naruto smiled contently. "Thanks, nii-san. Besides, Hinata-chan and I whooped Sasuke and Sakura's butt in the match!"

Hiashi and Hinata had regained their Hyūga poise. "I am sure the two of you can inform the clan of your victory at lunch."

"Very, very well Father." Hinata smiled, absorbing Naruto's confidence.

Naruto's grin widened to epic proportions. "So, where are we going to eat?"

Seiji grinned. "As today is about your accomplishments, Hinata-sama and you may choose."

The Genin nodded as they came to an unspoken agreement. This wasn't going to be as funny as the Slingshot was going to be, but it would do.

* * *

"Naruto and Hinata-chan! Congratulations on your…" Old Man Teuchi greeted two of his favorite customers warmly. He suddenly realized who was with them. "Hyūga-samas!"

Teuchi was dumbfounded for a moment as he realized the standing of the current guests currently at his Ramen stand.

"Hey Old Man! We graduated!" Naruto showed off his hitai-ate. "I'll have three bowls of miso and three bowls of beef!"

Hinata bowed. "Hello, Teuchi-san. I'll have an order of chicken ramen."

Teuchi nodded numbly as he wrote down the orders.

Hiashi took a seat next to his daughter. "Order of Pork."

"How's the shrimp ramem?" Seiji asked innocently.

"It's, ah, one of my favorites."

The aging councilor nodded. "I'll have two."

Kō and the remaining councilors ordered. Teuchi hurried to the back and called for his daughter. Naruto leaned over to Hinata.

"Old Man Teuchi is either going to thank us or hate us for this."

* * *

The Hyūga Clan lavished a feast for their newest graduates. The current council was as complementary of Hinata and Naruto as Hiashi and Hizashi. Hanabi took to her role as the unseen eyes and ears of the young conspirators with gusto. She quietly told her sister that she had overheard some scary talk from powerful members of the clan. Hinata instructed her to write what she remembered down for the next secret meeting.

After the celebratory feast, Hinata had found Naruto sitting on the roof of the guest wing.

"Ano, Naruto-kun, I t…thought the Council said that you were free to go back with Kō after you g…graduated."

Naruto shrugged. "Evidently, they want me to stay until we get our Cell assignments." He suddenly faked a hurt tone. "Unless you want to get rid of me."

Hinata began to stammer that she would never even think that. Naruto's laughter snapped her back to reality. "That's… that's not funny, Naruto-kun!"

"Maybe I just wanted to see you blush. It's cute." Said blush increased a thousand fold.

"T…thank you… N…naruto-kun. I… I'll see you tomorrow. G…good night." Hinata spoke quickly. Naruto believed she simply hadn't really gotten over her shyness. In truth, she was terrified of the thought of being put in a different cell than Naruto.

Hinata struggled to hide her worry as she walked to the Academy with Naruto and Kiba. The trio took their traditional seats for the last time. Iruka-sensei stood at the front of the room.

"Welcome, _Genin_ of Konoha! I will announce your Team assignments and Jonin instructors."

The scarred Chunnin began listing off the teams. Hinata was quietly praying that she would be placed in Naruto's cell.

"Now, Team 4 under Wantanabe Yuji: Hyūga Hinata…"

_Please be Naruto-kun! _Hinata prayed fervently.

_Oh man, I want to be on that team!_ Naruto was bouncing in anticipation.

"Inuzuka Kiba…"

Kiba's eyes went wide. _Come on, put Naruto on this team! The pack has to stay together!_

"And Uzumaki Naruto!" Iruka finished with smile.

Naruto literally leapt onto the table and danced. "BEST! TEAM! EVER!"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Plot advancement no jutsu! We're finally out of the Academy and will be going to the main plot!

Again, please Review! It is how I measure my worth as a human being! :D

Happy New Year!


	9. Chapter 9

"SIT DOWN!" Iruka yelled at the tops of his lungs. Naruto gulped and got back into his seat.

Iruka continued to call out the team assignments. Sakura got chewed out like Naruto when she celebrated being on the same team as Sasuke.

"You have thirty minutes before your Jonin instructors arrive. Enjoy one last lunch at the Academy."

_Unless you are Team 7. Sorry guys, Kakashi won't be here for at least an hour and a half. _

The newly formed Team 4 practically ran out of the classroom in their excitement. Akamaru sprinted in circles around Kiba, barking and jumping. Team 4 found a bench under a tree and sat down. Kiba scratched Akamaru behind the ears. The pup bounded over and curled up in Hinata's lap.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Kiba pouted at the Nin-dog.

"Can't really blame him. I'd like to curl up in Hinata-chan's lap too." Naruto said nonchalantly. A minute passed before everyone realized what he had just said. Kiba fell off the bench laughing, Naruto and Hinata both turned bright red. Akamaru leapt down to Kiba and tried to remind his partner to breathe.

"Oh man, I can't believe we're on the same team!" Kiba managed to stop laughing and pulled himself onto the bench. His face was _almost_ as red as Hinata and Naruto's.

"I wonder why, though? I mean, you and Hinata-chan have tracking skills. Akamaru and you can smell anything from miles away. The Byakugan needs no explanation. What do I bring to the table? I mean, yeah, I have better eyesight and hearing than some people. The only skill I have that stands out is Kage Bunshin."

"You hit the nail on the head, Naruto-kun."

The Genin jumped at the voice. They turned around just as Wantanabe Yuji walked down the tree. Yuji-sensei hadn't changed all that much from the last time Naruto saw him. His reddish-brown hair still framed his head and his brown eyes always gave the impression he was looking for something. Wantanabe's face looked like it was carved from stone or wood. He wore a jacket over the standard issue Konoha flak jacket. The Genin could occasionally see that Yuji still wore his hitai-ate as an arm band. The quiver and bow were different, though.

The Genin bowed politely to their Jonin instructor. "Come on, there's a table waiting for us near the staging area."

Kiba smirked. "Oh, _that_ table."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yes, Kiba. _That _table."

The Jonin was curious, but his features remained impassive as he noticed the blush on the Hyūga heiress's face. Wantanabe took a seat on one of the table's benches. His first Genin team sat across from him. Yuji took off the jacket and put it off to the side.

"I think we should get to know each other." Kiba and Naruto exchanged looks.

"But, Yuji-sensei, we already know each other! We've been friends for years! Heck, your kids call me 'Uncle Naruto'!" Naruto was shocked.

"Humor me, Naruto-kun." There was an edge of command that the young ninja all picked up on.

"Ano, how should we start Wantanabe-sensei?" Hinata asked.

The Jonin smiled. "I'll start. My name is Wantanabe Yuji. I have two children. My daughter, Asami, is my oldest and will be entering the Academy next term. I have a son, Takao that is two years old. And yes, they do call Naruto Uncle. I was a Hunter-nin until I decided to take a Genin team. My Jonin instructor was actually Inuzuka Tsume-sensei. I consider myself a connoisseur of various wines and fine food."

Kiba's eyes lit up. _I'm being trained by a Hunter-nin that Mom trained! Naruto was right! This is the best team ever!_

"Me next! I'm Inuzuka Kiba and this is my partner Akamaru! I can't believe you were trained by my Mom! My dream is to be the best tracker the Inuzuka clan has ever produced! My hobbies include training with Akamaru and hunting!"

"Excellent. You are next, Hinata-chan." Yuji commanded so politely it almost sounded like a request.

"Ano… I am Hyūga Hinata. I am the heiress of the clan. My goal is to be a strong leader for the Clan and help transform it into a family. My favorite hobby is…" _Spending time with Naruto-kun_. "flower pressing."

"Very good. Your turn, Naruto."

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I was an orphan before I helped Hinata-chan kick the crap out of a Cloud Jonin. Now I've got lots of family! The Hyūgas, Kiba's practically my brother and I've got you, Yuji-sensei, your kids and Suzu-sensei! My dream is to be a great Ninja and defend Konoha! My big hobby is training!"

Yuji leaned forward. "Well, I know I won't have any issues with teamwork with you three. Now, you all are probably wondering why this team is set up like it is."

Team 4 nodded. Wantanabe smiled. "Well, I see the makings of a great Hunter-nin team in all of you. Kiba-kun, you are an Inuzuka and have tracking abilities that put normal shinobi to shame. Hinata's Byakugan helps with tracking as well. Naruto's own senses are above the norm. All of you also have abilities to take down the targets after we track the objectives down. Hinata-chan's Jukken can shut them down, the Inuzuka abilities are devastating and Naruto-kun has Kage Bunshin to supply a cordon."

Naruto was thrilled at the faith Yuji-sensei put in the entire team. "So, when are we ready to start taking down the bad guys?"

The Jonin smirked. "When I say you are. First, we're going to have one last test. You have until tomorrow morning at ten to track me down. Bye!"

Yuji disappeared in a swirl of leaves. The only sign he had even been there were his jacket and the stunned looks on the genin's faces.

"He could be anywhere!" Kiba groaned.

"Ano… W…wantanabe-sensei said he was going to make us Hunter-nin. We have to think like them."

Naruto nodded. "Hinata-chan is right, as usual. We can do this!"

Akamaru barked and bounded over to the jacket. Kiba snapped his fingers. "You're a genius Akamaru! He's already got his scent!"

Naruto smiled. "Akamaru can follow Wantanabe-sensei's scent. Hinata-chan can use her Byakugan to find him and I can use Kage Bunshin to make sure he doesn't get away!"

Akamaru started to follow the scent trail and Team 4 chased after the dog. The nin-ken ran through the Academy and into the main class room. Shino, Sakura and Sasuke were sitting quietly. Shino was reading and Sakura was trying to talk to Sasuke.

"What is Team Lapdog doing here?" Sasuke humphed.

"Looking for our Jonin instructor. We have until tomorrow morning to track him down." Kiba started sniffing just like Akamaru.

"Hey, Sasuke. That was a cool fireball technique yesterday!" Naruto shouted over his shoulder as Akamaru leapt out the window and into a bush. Team 4 quickly jumped after the dog.

"Uh… Thanks?" Sasuke and Sakura exchanged very confused looks.

Outside the Academy, Akamaru and Kiba were trying to reacquire their Jonin instructor's scent. Hinata activated her Byakugan. Naruto searched everywhere and flinched when he heard Sakura scream about Team 7's sensei being late.

"Ano… Naruto-kun! Check in that tree, please. I think I see something." Hinata pointed at a nearby tree. Naruto quickly climbed the tree and found an arrowhead.

"It's an arrowhead! It's pointed towards the center of town." Naruto called back.

"That could be a coincidence!" Kiba was having trouble finding the scent. "Crap, I think Wantanabe-sensei doused this area in something! There are too many strong scents here!"

"N…naruto-kun's finding might be a hint then." Hinata nodded a bit.

Naruto hung upside down from the branch. "It's not my 'finding'! We never would have found it if we didn't have you Hinata-chan!"

"Ok, so we head towards the center of Konoha. Then what?" Kiba rubbed his nose to try to clear the conflicting scent data. His mother had begun teaching him to channel chakra to focus his sense of smell, but he hadn't mastered it yet. Kiba had only a firm grasp on the very basics of the technique. The onetime Naruto had seen him train; the blond had made a crack that Kiba had 'been thinking dirty thoughts'. Naruto's triumph had been short lived as Kiba fired off a single sentence. _Like the ones you have about Hinata?_

Needless to say, that conversation would never be mentioned to anyone.

"I… I think we should ask around for Wantanabe-sensei." The Hyūga heiress looked at the ground. It was instinctive. Her Byakugan was still active and nothing was hidden from her.

The Inuzuka boy cracked his knuckles. "I know a few places the Hunter-nins hang out in."

"And I know where Yuji-sensei lives." Naruto added.

Hinata felt down at not being able to add something else to the plan. She was holding everyone back. Naruto noticed that Hinata had deactivated her Byakugan and frowned. Hinata had just helped them a ton and now she was acting like she did something wrong.

"Where do you think we should go first, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.

The heiress looked up slowly. "Ano, I think Wantanabe-sensei would expect us to go straight to his home. So…so, he probably isn't there. H…he is more likely to b...be at one of the Hunter-nin h…hang-outs."

The two boys nod at each other. "She's definitely the brains of the operation." Kiba laughed.

Team 4 followed Kiba's lead to several bars. Most of them were incredibly seedy. The first one they arrived at looked like someone had tried to burn it down.

"I wouldn't say they did it on purpose. It's more like… my cousin and a few of his buddies thought flaming beer would be cool." Kiba ignored the shocked expressions of his teammates.

The bouncer laughed at the young Genin team. "You Inuzuka's throw the wildest parties. I know you three think you are hot shit for graduating, but there is no way I'm letting Tsume's brat, the Hyūga heiress and her body guard drink."

Hinata gulped. "Ano, we… we are not here to drink. We are looking for Wantanabe Yuji-sensei."

The bounder shook his head. "Didn't see him come in. Give me a sec." The Bouncer went inside the bar. Naruto and his teammates heard the large man shout. "Yuji in here?"

There were choruses of 'no' and 'hell no'. Team 4 was about to leave when a voice cried out. "Yeah, he was here. I think Yuji said he was heading to Satoshi's shithole."

The Bouncer leaned his head out of doorframe with a beer in his hand. "Get all that kiddos?"

Team 4 nodded and the bouncer smiled. "Good luck finding the bastard. He's a wily one."

The Genin took off running when they heard someone start yelling about not putting an explosive tag in the toilet.

They arrived at 'Satoshi's Shithole' which was actually a nicer place than the first bar. The Genin were greeted by a young woman wearing a trench coat, a mesh 'shirt' and a skirt that really wasn't.

"Sweet, it's about time a woman gets a harem!" The woman spoke while chewing on a dango stick. She burst out laughing when all three went red.

"Uh… is Wantanabe Yuji-sensei in there?" Naruto finally managed to stammer out.

"What are your names, kids? I need to embarrass you all when I go in and ask for Yuji-kun."

"You first." Kiba tried to control the location of his gaze.

"Mitarashi Anko. Now fess up!" Anko ordered.

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

"H…hyūga Hinata."

"Inuzuka Kiba"

Anko grinned broadly "Since you are such cute little Genin, I'll ask for you. And since someone just bought me dango, I won't even feed you to my snakes."

Naruto gaped and eventually recovered. "Uh… thanks for your mercy?"

The crazy woman waved as she went into the bar.

"Oi! Yuji-kun!"

"What do you want Anko?" Team 4's eyes lit up.

Hinata quickly activated her Byakugan. "It's him!"

Kiba fist pumped at Hinata's announcement. "Alright! Naruto, do that jutsu that you do so well."

Naruto grinned. "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"

Thirty Naruto's appeared. "Ok! Here's the plan. Split up into groups of five! I want ever window and exit covered!"

"Right boss!" The Clones shouted and split into groups.

After a minute, each clone group reported they were in position. Team 4 waited and eventually a bar employee greeted them. "Yuji says he's staying put and there is no way he's going right now. You all may be Genin, but unless you're sixteen, you don't get in."

"W…we just need to talk to him." Hinata ask with pleading eyes.

The employee shook his head. "Kid, I'm a bar bouncer, Puppy Eyes no Jutsu doesn't work if you're under eighteen."

Kiba cursed and Naruto sighed. "Oh well, we're going to have to try something desperate. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

A few more Naruto's popped into existence. "Alright! Listen up; you are to find Suzu-sensei. When you locate her, tell her Yuji-sensei is drinking in a bar instead of training us. Oh, and tell her we will definitely be at Takao's birthday next week."

"Roger!" The clones sped off in different directions.

Everyone stared at Naruto. The bouncer shook his head. "You are a cold hearted bastard aren't you?"

"I just want to be trained."

The bouncer laughed and reentered the bar. Hinata routinely checked the bar using her Byakugan.

"Wantanabe-sensei is still inside. He hasn't moved."

Kiba sat on the ground and Akamaru took his usual spot on his partner's head. "Gah, he had to go into the only bar in Konoha that has an age requirement."

Naruto shrugged. "Probably why Yuji-sensei did it. We'll have to keep the stake out up."

"Ano, what should we do w...while waiting for Suzu-san and your bunshins to arrive?"

Naruto entered his thinking pose. "I'd say we should train, but you two can't really use your Clan techniques in a public setting like this. Two of us should remain here. Who wants to make sure my clones aren't getting into trouble?"

"That won't be necessary, Naruto." A new, but familiar voice joined the conversation.

Kō smiled as Naruto ran up and showed off his hitai-ate. "It's official! We're all Ninja now!"

"Congratulations to all of you. Oh, you don't have to worry about your clones. I pulled rank on them and told them to stay focused."

Naruto laughed. "Threatened to ban them from Ramen?"

"Worse, I threatened to tell Hiashi-sama they were not acting 'in a manner befitting a suitor of the heiress'."

Naruto paled. "You wouldn't!"

"Not to you. Kage Bunshins can get cheeky."

Kiba barked out a laugh as his teammates breathed a sigh of relief.

"Kō-san, what brings you here?"

The aspiring Jonin chucked. "A Bunshin found me helping Suzu getting a few things Takao's birthday."

Team 4 looked excited. "So, she's on her way here?"

"Where is he?"A very angry woman was approaching. Suzu had cut her light brown hair since the last time Naruto had seen her. Her blue eyes were actually a bit scary at the moment. The image of a hurricane flashed in everyone's head.

"Uh… inside, ma'am." Kiba answered on a reflex.

Suzu stormed in and after a few minutes she emerged with a very quiet Yuji-sensei. "Teach your students! And don't forget to bring home some milk!"

"Yes dear." Everyone but Team 4 and their sensei left quietly. "Alright, follow me to Sayuri's. I'll grade your performance there."

* * *

The three Genin waited quietly as their Jonin instructor prepared to grade their final test.

"Overall, I have only one complaint. One major complaint." Yuji leans back in his chair as his charges gulped. "Naruto-kun, did you have to get _my wife_?"

Naruto chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "I figured it would be the most effective way to get you out the bar?"

"True. Very well, you all did incredibly well. It took less than five hours for you all to track me down. You acted as a team. That is crucial to the success of any shinobi mission. It doesn't matter if you are hunting down a Nuke-nin, escorting a merchant between villages or even performing menial labor. If you act as a team and support each other, you will succeed."

The Jonin let his students bask in the praise. "This was simply a test. I was proud of how you used your abilities to support and complement each other. Kiba-kun, you followed the scent well and let your teammates know of any changes. Hinata-chan, I was pleased that you used your Byakugan when Kiba-kun lost the scent. Naruto-kun, you may lack the tracking abilities of Hinata-chan or Kiba-kun but you supported them well. Your used your Kage Bunshins very well when the three of you tracked me down."

"Thank you, Wantanabe-sensei." Team 4 said as one.

"As I said, I was pleased by today's test. We will meet in Training Ground twenty-one tomorrow morning at eight a.m. Go home and rest up. I plan on working you to the bone. I want to see your limits and skills. Understand?"

"Yes, sensei!"

"Very good. See you tomorrow, dismissed." Hinata bowed politely. Naruto flashed his oldest teacher a thumbs up and Kiba pounded his fist on his chest twice.

Naruto waited patiently until they exited the restaurant before wrapping Hinata in a huge hug. "We passed! We passed!" He repeated as he swung her around.

"Geez, get a room you two!" Kiba shook his head.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Everyone froze at the voice. Team 4 cautiously looked up and saw the pair of ANBU standing silently on the trees around them.

"Hi? My Kage Bunshins didn't cause any problems did they?" Naruto didn't even notice Hinata was still holding onto his side.

"Hokage-sama wishes to speak with you." The ANBU's tone allowed no room for argument.

"We… we are coming w…with our teammate." Hinata tried to sound confident and supportive, but the gaze of the ANBU made her nervous.

"What Hokage-sama has to tell Uzumaki Naruto is for him alone. Return to your homes."

Naruto held onto Hinata. "It'll be fine, Hinata-chan. I'm sure Jiji just wants to talk about a few things alone. I'm sure I'm not in trouble."

Kiba shook his head. "We aren't going back home! Even if we can't be in the meeting, we are going to support our teammate!"

Akamaru was barking and growling in agreement. Hinata tightened her grip on Naruto to show her agreement with Kiba.

"So bet it. Head directly to the Hokage's Tower."

* * *

The Sandaime Hokage took a long drag on his pipe as he waited for Naruto arrive. Sarutobi Hiruzen had watched the exchange between the ANBU and Naruto's friends. He was actually very pleased that the Inuzuka and the Hyūga Heiress had been so adamant in standing by their teammate. The Hokage's greatest fear that Hiashi and Hizashi had made the mistake the Yondaime had made. Hiruzen was beginning to push aside those fears. Naruto had the support he deserved. However, he was well aware that Naruto's support rested on a razor's edge. The Hyūga Clan was more divided than anyone dared speak of. Hiashi's stance on bridging the rift between the two families was tragically divisive.

It was fortunate that the Clan Council had suddenly begun publically supporting Hinata as heiress. Hiashi had laid the groundwork, but it would fall to Hinata to complete the bridge. Naruto was in no danger of losing his adopted family's support.

In addition to the Hyūga, the Inuzuka Clan had given tacit approval to revealing Naruto's status as the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Kitsune. Truthfully, they had granted their approval to protect their own. However, young Kiba was one of Naruto's closest friends. Kiba was fully submerged in his clan's tradition of loyalty to friends, family and Konoha. It was not uncommon for word to reach the Hokage of incidents at the Academy where Kiba would leap to defend his 'pack'. The Sandaime hoped such loyalty would survive the revelation.

There was a knock on the door and the Hokage gave Naruto permission to enter. As expected, a worried looking Hinata and a bravado-filled Kiba waited in the lobby outside the Hokage's office.

"W…we will be h…here when your meeting is over, Naruto-kun." The Hyūga heiress struggled to keep her gaze on Naruto.

"Yeah, we'll be waiting, buddy." Kiba stated quickly.

"Thanks guys." Naruto entered the Hokage's office. He shut the door and took a seat.

"Congratulations on graduating and passing Wantanabe-san's test, Naruto." The Hokage stated amicably.

Naruto beamed and ran his thumb across his forehead protector. "Thank you, Jiji! I couldn't have passed Yuji-sensei's test without Kiba, Akamaru or Hinata-chan!"

"Then you have learned one of the most important lessons a Shinobi of the leaf can learn. We can only achieve our true potential with and by the support of others. I, unfortunately, did not summon you to merely congratulate you on your recent successes. Naruto, there is a truth that I must reveal to you. I personally wished to inform you of this when you became a Chuunin but Hiashi-san and Hizashi-san have faith that you are ready for the truth."

"The truth? The truth about what, Jiji?" Naruto wasn't sure he liked where this conversation was heading. He was glad that Hiashi and Hizashi had faith in him though.

"The Hyūga, Mizuki-sensei and Iruka-sensei have told me that your dream is to become a strong ninja and defend Konoha."

"Of course it is!" Naruto nodded quickly.

"Naruto, you defend Konoha with every breath you take." The boy simultaneously looked thrilled and very confused. "In order for you to understand, I must start twelve years ago on the day you were born. I will not lie to you, Naruto. This will be the most difficult words you ever here. Your life will change."

Naruto took a single breath and crossed his arms. "I can handle it, Jiji."

"You know that you were born on the day of the Kyūbi's assault on Konoha." The nervousness in Naruto's stance and face increased exponentially. "The Nine Tailed Fox was a being of immense power. Only the Fourth Hokage had the power to stand against it. The Academy has taught the official history that the Yondaime killed the Beast at the cost of his life. That is not true. It is impossible to kill something that was never alive to begin with. The Kyūbi is a being of pure Chakra. You can no more kill it than kill an earthquake or a violent storm."

Naruto meekly said. "What?"

"The Kyūbi can only be contained. It has to be sealed in a living being. Only a child can withstand and endure the power of the demon." He saw the look of horror in Naruto's face. "It has to be a child, Naruto. If the Kyūbi had been sealed in an object, the demon would have escaped within a year and Konoha would have been destroyed. We could not seal it in an adult or the Nine Tailed Fox would have consumed their minds by preying on the darkness in the heart of its host. A child, an infant, has no darkness and is the perfect prison."

"I… I'm the demon aren't I?" Naruto couldn't look at the Hokage. He couldn't bring himself to look out the window towards the Hokage monument.

"NO!" The Hokage slammed his fist on the desk causing Naruto to jump. "You are not the demon! You are Uzumaki Naruto, a Genin of Konoha! You are the **jailor** of the demon and I will not allow you to think of yourself in any other way! The Yondaime Hokage wanted you to be viewed as a hero. That is how Hiashi-san and Hizashi-san view you. It is how I view you! Naruto, without you there would be no Konoha."

Naruto finally looked up. A small flicker of hope was evident in his eyes. "Why hasn't anyone said anything? Or… or is the Kyūbi the 'it' I hear people talk about sometimes?"

"After the defeat of the Kyūbi, I passed a law forbidding anyone from revealing that you were the jailor of the Demon Fox. It was my hope that the hate the older generations had for the Fox would not poison the opinions and minds of your peers. The Hyūga taking you in and protecting you was beyond even my most fervent hopes. Hiashi-san and Hiromi-san could not stand the thought of you being alone or worse, taken by certain elements that wanted to use you as nothing but a weapon or tool. The acceptance of the Hyūga has given me hope that the dying wish of the Yondaime will be fulfilled."

Naruto was suddenly hit by a revelation. Hiashi and Hizashi had known and had wanted to tell Naruto about the Kyūbi. They obviously believed that he was Naruto and not the demon. If they thought the opposite, he knew Hiashi wouldn't let Naruto within a mile of Hinata-chan. Besides, the Byakugan could tell. Did Hinata-chan already know? The two charkas he possessed flared into his mind. Was the red chakra the demon's?

"Am I allowed to tell people the truth?" The Hokage grinned like a proud grandfather as he nodded. Naruto was coping with the no doubt painful truth better than Sarutobi had ever hoped.

"You are allowed to inform others of your status as the Jailor of the Demon Fox. However, you should be very cautious of who you chose to tell."

_I have to tell Kiba and Hinata-chan. Neji and Hanabi probably need to know since we're working to save the Hy__ū__ga clan. Besides, they have seen the Red Chakra. I don't want them to break the Hokage's Law._

"Is there anything else I need to know?" He remembered that Hiashi had mentioned laws on that fateful night. The Sandaime had only revealed a law.

The Hokage, for his part, remembered the Hyūga twin's request for complete disclosure of Naruto's heritage. He was keenly aware that Naruto had some awareness of a second set of laws regarding his nature.

"No, there is not. You are dismissed, Naruto. Your team is waiting for you." Naruto stood and bowed. "Naruto, I am very proud of you."

"Thanks Old Man." Naruto began walking to the door, but froze. He had to be honest with himself. His team needed to know about the Kyūbi, but the thought of their possible reactions terrified him. Naruto had never been so afraid in his life. He had fought a Kumo Jonin when he was three to rescue Hinata without fear. Now, he could barely move.

"Naruto." The blond Genin turned to face the Hokage. "Have faith in your friends."

The last Uzumaki nodded and opened the door. He sat down quietly and stared at his best friends for a moment. Kiba was confused as Naruto was generally as loud as he was. Hinata blushed at the softness in his gaze.

"Hey. Naruto, what did the Hokage talk to you about?" Kiba shifted nervously in his seat.

The tattooed Genin rubbed Akamaru's back when the dog began to whine. Naruto still hadn't said a word.

"Ano, Naruto-kun. We are here for you. No…no matter what, we… we will support you." _And even if the whole world turns it back, I will stay with you_. Hinata tried desperately to comfort Naruto.

"Do you remember the lessons about the Yondaime Hokage? How he killed the Kyūbi?" Naruto watched as his friends nodded. "The lessons were wrong. The Kyūbi wasn't really alive to begin with. It couldn't be killed. There was only one permanent way to stop the Demon. The Fourth had to seal it away within a newborn."

Naruto saw the shock in Hinata and Kiba's eyes. He felt his resolve begin to slip away. "He sealed it in me. I am a prison for a demon."

There were several seconds of silence. Naruto was certain that he would be alone soon.

Hinata had always known Naruto was strong. She had always believed that Naruto was one of the most caring and kind individuals she had ever met. Naruto would do anything to protect his precious people. He had saved her twice. First, he rescued her from the Cloud Ninja. He then saved her from self destruction after her mother died. Now, she would begin to pay that debt. She would save him this time, but how?

"You are and will always be Naruto. And my best friend."

The Hyūga quickly turned a hundred shades of red when she realized she was inches from Naruto. _I just kissed him! On the cheek, but… but!_

Naruto quickly wrapped Hinata in a huge and quietly whispered thank you. The tender moment was interrupted when Akamaru climbed on Naruto's shoulder and licked the boy's ear.

"If _that's_ what it takes to show you that I know you aren't the fox, I'm afraid you're out of luck." Naruto and Hinata turned in shock towards Kiba. "There will be no licking or anything like that. I'll buy you some Ramen though."

Naruto nodded at Kiba. "Thanks everyone. This… this means so much."

"Don't mention it. We're going to need to work together to survive Wantanabe-sensei's training." Kiba chuckled.

"Yeah. I don't think he'll take it easy on us." Naruto laughed back.

"Especially you, buddy." Kiba punched his brother-in-arms in the shoulder.

"Why me?"

Hinata had attached herself to Naruto's other shoulder. "Ano, Naruto-kun, you… you did get him in trouble with… with his wife."

Naruto flinched. He knew how mad Suzu-sensei would get. Yuji-sensei was going to kill him!

"Ah man, I am so doomed!"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Here you go! A fresh chapter for you all! I hope you all enjoy it! I'm in the middle of January Term, which means a full semester in a month. I hope to continue the update schedule, but I can't guarantee anything.

BUT! If you guys continue the incredible review responses, I'll probably keep pumping this story out!

Coming next chapter: Yuji-sensei's revenge!


	10. Chapter 10

Naruto efficiently dodged Akamaru's tackle, but barely managed to block Kiba's high kick. The blond countered with a left jab. The strike was batted aside and the two boys pushed off to get some distance between them. Naruto was trying to keep his awareness of both Kiba and Akamaru. The partners had been pressing him relentlessly in order to keep him from pulling off Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Now, Naruto felt he had enough time and flashed his favorite hand seal.

He never got the chance as Akamaru once again charged in. Naruto used the handseal as a block and pushed the dog out of the way. Kiba charged in again. The two boys exchanged hits and blocks for a few minutes before Naruto used Kiba as a spring board. The Inuzuka had landed in a crouch after missing with a kick. As Naruto flew through the air, he shouted one of his favorite phrases.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Five new blonds poofed into existence and separated the Nin-ken and his human partner. The match was now two three on one fights.

"Alright, that's enough." Yuji gave the command from his position. "Excellent work you two. Kiba-kun and Akamaru, both of you did an excellent job keeping the pressure on Naruto. Both of your basic taijutsu skills are very good. This fight would have likely been much different if Akamaru could use his natural weapons. Overall, you did very well. My only suggestion is you need to sharpen your movements a bit. Several of your attacks wasted energy. They would be devastating if they had landed, but remember Kiba-kun that you have Akamaru backing you up. Not every hit needs to be a knockout."

"Thank you, Wantanabe-sensei." He managed to say between winded breaths.

"Naruto-kun, you also did very well. It is obvious that you have grown up fighting Jukken users. All of your dodges were very sharp and wasted nothing. Unfortunately, your blocking isn't as crisp as it needs to be. Again, this is because you have spent most of your life fighting against Gentle Fist. I was also impressed by your situational awareness. After the first few moments of the spar, you kept both Kiba and Akamaru in your sight. Tactically, Naruto-kun, I was surprised. Your use of terrain and even your opponents' positioning was highly inventive."

"Thanks, Yuji-sensei!"

The Jonin Instructor turned to his remaining student. "Hinata-chan, our spar was eye opening. I have never fought the Gentle Fist in my career. My only exposure to your Clan's Taijutsu style was the Chunnin exams six years ago when I saw Hyūga Yori fight. It is clear that your taijutsu is incredibly strong. The only possible issues I see with your style are dealing with multiple opponents and foes that remain outside your reach."

Naruto and Kiba flashed smiles at Hinata. The Heiress blushed ferociously. "I… Thank you for the critique, Wantanabe-sensei."

Yuji nodded at his students. "Alright, Training area is two miles in diameter. Run it once and we'll move on to the next portion of the training."

Hinata and Akamaru did not join their teammates in their groan. Team Four jogged the edges of the training ground.

"You had to get his wife!" Kiba loudly bemoaned the team's fate.

Hinata was falling behind a bit. "K…Kiba-kun, it was…" Hinata took a few breaths and caught up with the boys "the best way to get him out."

"See! The brains of the operation agrees with me!" Naruto beamed.

Team Four finished their run several minutes later. Yuji was waiting for them.

"We'll need to work on your endurance some. You will be Hunter-nins and our primary concern is tracking and capturing criminals and missing nin. Many of our missions will be long pursuits."

None of Team Four was thrilled about the idea of running laps. Wantanabe ignored their annoyed looks and continued.

"There are many other skills Hunter-nins need that aren't jutsus. We must be excellent trackers, investigators and above all… We must be patient."

Naruto and Kiba dropped their heads. "Ah man! Only Hinata-chan is good at those last two!" Naruto pouted.

Hinata blushed at the praise. Yuji chuckled. "Well, fortunately, you two can improve in both areas. There are a few ways to improve in these areas. I'll tell you about that before we are done for the day. First, we're going to practice with ranged weapons. Follow me."

"Hey, Wantanabe-sensei!" Kiba practically shouted.

The Jonin Instructor turned slightly to his brash student. "Yes, Kiba-kun?"

"Why do we need to practice ranged weapons? I mean, Akamaru and I can cover a lot of ground using Gatsūga, Naruto can use his clones and Hinata can practically dance around most enemies."

"Because we are Ninja, Kiba-kun. Stealth is as crucial to the success of many missions as your Gatsūga, Naruto-kun's Kage Bunshins and Hinata-chan's skills with Jukken. There are times on missions where a well placed Shuriken can be more crucial to a mission's success than the flashiest jutsu."

Team Four considered their sensei's words. Naruto remembered all the times Yuji-sensei had snuck up on Suzu-sensei, Kō-niisan and himself. Kiba, for his part, remembered his times hunting. One couldn't catch their prey by running screaming at it very often. Hinata knew she would have to kill as a Shinobi, but did not relish the thought of killing up close.

"We're going to start with the standard shuriken and kunai. You should be familiar with them. If you behave yourselves…" Yuji threw an accusing look at the two boys. "I might show you some other ranged weapons such as bows."

"AWESOME!" Kiba and Naruto shouted as one.

* * *

Hyūga Takeshi glided down the hall of his home. He had just discovered Councilor Seiji's medical report. Takeshi had called his closest ally, Yoshinori to his home. The slightly younger man was sitting in a chair, watching as a branch attendant set down a tea tray before quietly exiting the room.

"Ah, Takeshi-san! Thank you for inviting me to your home." Yoshinori smiled at his friend.

"You are welcome, old friend." Takeshi quickly sealed the room. "I have news. News you will be grateful to hear, Yoshi."

The man sipped at his tea. "I pray it is a way to save our clan from the ruin Hiashi is steering us towards."

"It is indeed! Seiji-sama has, as of this morning, been pronounced blind. As per the traditions of our beloved clan, he must step down."

Yoshinori inclined his head. "It is a shame; Seiji-sama is a fine man. However, he has grown soft in the past few years. I can't believe he has begun supporting _Hinata_ as Clan Heir. That girl is more suited to quiet motherhood than leading our proud clan of warriors. Worse, he allowed the thriced damned Kyūbi into our homes! I cannot sit by and let Hiashi and his twin cast aside our hallowed traditions and destroy Konoha's most powerful clan!"

Takeshi nodded at the fire in his comrade's voice. Yoshinori had lost his wife and the child she was carrying in the Kyūbi Attack. "We may have a chance to slow and, with time, reverse the cancer eating away at the Hyūga. My son has uncovered the list of possible replacements for Seiji-sama."

"You said, _we_, didn't you?" Yoshinori perked up.

"Yes, my friend. Our names are at the top of the list! Even Hiashi cannot countermand one of us reaching the Council! Soon, Maki-san will be avenged and Hiashi will be cast aside for his crimes against our clan's traditions."

Yoshinori smiled. "I cannot thank you enough for bringing this information to my attention. We must move to gather support for our cause. At this time, we do not have enough support to rescind the Kyūbi's status as a Clan Ward. I have secured supporters in the Branch House. They realize that Hiashi and Hizashi are moving far too quickly. I am thankful that there are some that have the wisdom to see that our _esteemed_ Clan Head will be stripping them of their purpose."

"Excellent, I knew I could count on your support. Before I forget, what should our response be to the latest example of Hiashi's lunacy?" Takeshi responded.

"Latest example?" Yoshi asked after a second sip of his tea.

Takeshi's face hardened. "It seems Hiashi is allowing the Kyūbi to court the heiress."

"Truly, the death of Hiromi-sama has driven Hiashi into madness! Hinata may be a poor choice to guide our clan, but surely Hiashi realizes that the demon will defile her at the first opportunity!"

"I agree, my friend. I agree. But, as we spoke earlier, our bloc does not have the power or support to cut that infection from the Clan as of yet."

Yoshinori put down his cup. "Then we must move quickly."

The two men dropped the seals that cut the room off from the rest of the house. Takeshi's seals had been impressive. They, however, had a singular flaw. The seals only prevented sound from escaping through the walls and roofs. Each had completely neglected the floor. Neither man was aware of the tunnel system that ran underneath the compound extended as far as it did. The tunnels were old and built during the earliest days of the union between the Hyūga and Konohagakure. Hiashi's great grandfather had them sealed as a show of good faith to the Nidaime Hokage. The tunnel system was mostly forgotten and every known entrance had been bricked over and sealed by Senju Tobirama himself.

However, not all entrances were planned or sealed. A collapsed wall had been discovered by Hanabi several months ago. She had found the small hole while hiding from an annoyed Neji and Naruto. Now, she was using the tunnels as part of her role as the eyes and ears of her 'conspiracy'. What she had just heard disturbed her greatly. How could they talk about her father or sister like that? Hanabi _knew_ her father was one of the strongest ninja in the village. That meant that he was one of the strongest in the entire world! He was also making the clan stronger. The Main and Branch families were becoming closer. How was that bad? How could they say Hiashi was crazy? Takeshi and Yoshinori even doubted her onee-chan as well! Hinata was the number one kunoichi in her class and had mastered the Hakkeshō Kaiten in a week! Hanabi's big sister was a great warrior and ninja!

Yoshinori and Takeshi's slander against her beloved father and sister had made Hanabi very angry. The other conversation point had confused her. The Kyūbi was dead. The Yondaime Hokage had killed it! The two potential councilors were talking about the Demon Fox being around the family. That was impossible! There was no way a demon would be a Clan Ward or be able to court her sister!

Realization hit her like a full Hakke Rokujūyon Shō. There was only one Clan Ward. There was only one person courting Hinata-oneechan. Why were they calling Naruto the Kyūbi?

* * *

The children were a panting mess. Even Naruto, famous at his young age for his endurance, was exhausted. Yuji-sensei had put them through the ringer. Team Four had hoped that Yuji's 'revenge' for getting his wife was just the laps. They were very wrong. After the ranged weapons exercises, the Jonin had taken them to Training Ground seventeen. Wantanabe's words rang in their memories.

"We are going to do a small pursuit exercise. The best way to understand how to track our targets is to experience it for yourself. This is our final exercise for the day. The goal of the exercise is simple. I want all of you to head into the forests. I will act as a Hunter-nin. Your goal is to evade capture as long as possible. You have thirty minutes to prepare for me."

As the last word left their Jonin instructor's lips, the Genin leapt into action. Naruto quickly summoned dozens of Kage Bunshins. Hinata shouted to Naruto to try to disguise the clones with a henge. Naruto quickly followed Hinata's advice and the mass of Genin scattered into the woods. The real Team Four left together. Kiba quickly started setting up traps. Hinata occasionally scanned the area with her Byakugan. Naruto helped Kiba set up the traps. As soon as a few traps were set up on the likely paths, they moved to another location. Training Ground seventeen was unfamiliar territory. There were no illusions that Wantanabe-sensei would be at a similar disadvantage.

"Wantanabe-sensei is downwind of us. But… That can't be! He's a hunter-nin, he'd never make such a rookie mistake!" It was a struggle for Kiba to keep from shouting.

Naruto turned to Hinata. "Can you see him?"

"Byakugan!" Hinata whispered. "I can see him to the North. He's found a group of shadow clones."

"Good. That should buy us some time. I've got an idea." The Jinchūriki smiled. "We're leaving this training ground."

"What?" Kiba hissed. "That's not what he told us to do!"

Hinata realized Naruto's plan. "Ano, Kiba-kun… Wantanabe-sensei never prohibited us from leaving the training grounds."

Akamaru barked happily. It was a good plan. "If you three are for it, let's go!"

"Alright, if we head due west, we'll enter Training ground fifteen. " Naruto whispered and led his friends in the general direction of the other training area.

Kiba nodded. "Solid plan. There is a stream inside Fifteen. If we get separated, I say we meet at the fallen oak."

The agreement was sealed with a quick nod. Team Four began to move. Hinata's outstretched hand stopped the boys in their tracks. "One of the transformed Shadow Clones is approaching."

"Who is it? I can't tell by scent." Kiba sniffed at the air.

The Hyūga focused her Dojutsu. "It's one of me."

The Hinata Bunshin approached the Team. Naruto and Kiba almost relaxed. "Wantanabe-sensei is nearby! He took out the others!"

Kiba was about to thank the Bunshin when Naruto threw a series of kunai at it. "It's a fake! If it was one of mine, it would have dispelled!"

A puff heralded the use of the Kawarimi no Jutsu. Team Four scattered and took cover. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

"Scatter! Remember the rally point!" Kiba yelled as everyone moved away.

Naruto sent a few clones with his teammates. The other clones tried to act as distractions for the Jonin. Yuji watched his students from his perch. Team Four was exceeding his expectations. They all worked well together. Strategies were developed quickly and executed well. However, there were several issues that they needed to work out. Kiba would need a little bit of work in stealth. Granted, both of Team Four's boys were brash. Hopefully, Hinata would be a positive influence on the two. The heir of the Byakugan already had more influence on her teammates than any of them realized. Wantanabe's Hinata Henge had created an exploitable opening. If the false Hinata had been a Shadow Clone instead; Yuji could have eliminated all of Team Four. Yes, Team Four needed work. Then again, they were fresh out of the Academy and had not even completed a D-rank mission yet.

Yuji leapt after Kiba because he presented himself as a leader. The Jonin caught up to the Inuzuka by using the substitution jutsu and trading places with one of Naruto's Kage Bunshins. Kiba was caught so off guard that he didn't realize Wantanabe-sensei was there until he was tagged.

"Excellent work, Kiba-kun. Return to the edge of the forest and wait for the rest of us."

Kiba and Akamaru drooped. "Ah man! Bunshins, dispel! Let Naruto and Hinata know!"

Again, Yuji was impressed by his team. He made sure Kiba was heading for the edge of the forest before leaping off through the trees. A number of tracks stood out to him. Most were undoubtedly Naruto's remaining Bunshins. The blond had several dozen sets of tracks heading in every conceivable direction. Hinata's path was easier to discern. It was headed west towards Training Ground Fifteen. What were the landmarks at Fifteen? There was the stream, the kudzu field and the Old Oak. Any of those would be passable rally points. The Kudzu Patch was clearly the weakest of the choices, unless his Genin team had a personal landmark inside the mess of vines. It also wouldn't be the Old Oak. That massive tree was too common a landmark and often used by other teams as a place to practice tree walking. In fact, Yuji was sure that Yūhi Kurenai and Team Eight were using Training Ground Fifteen today.

"Clever." Yuji whispered as he moved to approach his remaining students.

At the fallen oak, Hinata was waiting for Naruto. She was actively searching using her Byakugan. The Hyūga had seen Kiba get 'captured' by Wantanabe-sensei. Naruto was getting close, but so was the Jonin.

Until Wantanabe-sensei suddenly changed directions.

Naruto seemingly exploded from the underbrush. "Hinata-chan! Yuji-sensei got Kiba. We need to move."

"I saw Kiba-kun get captured. I… I think we should go through the Kudzu field to the south and try to reach the Old Oak." Hinata breathed.

"Not a bad plan you two. Unfortunately…" Yuji materialized between the two Genin and tagged them. "I got you both. Come on, let's collect Kiba."

Wantanabe-sensei led the two downcast Genin to their teammate. Kiba had already stretched and was working on his cool downs.

"Kiba-kun has the right idea. Hinata-chan and Naruto-kun start your own cool downs while I critique you all. First, you planned well in such a short time. The traps were impressive. Again, teamwork is not a problem. Kiba-kun and Hinata-chan, you made excellent use of their tracking skills and Naruto-kun supported the team very well with his Kage Bunshins. I saw several shortcomings. All of you need to work on your movement. It was far too easy to track you all; even with the Kage Bunshin's screening you. Kiba-kun and Naruto-kun, you can't let your guard down so easily. When I was disguised as Hinata-chan, you hesitated and left the entire team open. I am glad you two trust your teammate so intrinsically, but a vicious enemy can exploit that. Hinata-chan, when you waited for Naruto-kun, you were far too exposed. These are all aspects we can work on. Truthfully, you all did very well. We will meet up here at eight a.m. Dismissed."

* * *

At that moment in time, Ichiraku Ramen was the single most beautiful sight Team Four had ever seen. They hadn't realized how hungry they were until the buildings of Konoha loomed above them. Wantanabe-sensei had really worked them to the bone. Hinata, Naruto and Kiba were so exhausted they failed to notice two-thirds of Team Seven.

"Did you guys just get back from an A-class mission or something?" Team Four wearily turned and saw Sakura accept a bowl from Ayame.

Kiba quickly ordered his meal. "Nah… Wantanabe-sensei has been working us to the bone." He turned to Naruto. "I'd really like to thank you for that, buddy."

Naruto ordered his usual and groaned. "Yes, I am aware that getting Yuji-sensei's wife to get him out of the bar to pass our Genin test was probably not the best idea. But it worked, we passed."

Sasuke used his favorite nonverbal response before focusing on the new arrivals. "What was the test?"

Kiba was too tired to even call the Uchiha a teme. "We had to track him down in less than ten hours. He was holed up in _the one_ bar that had an age requirement. My 'genius' teammate decided having Wantanabe-sensei's wife drag him out of the bar was a good idea."

"We were Kakashi's first team to pass his test. We'll start training and missions tomorrow." The triumph in the Uchiha's voice was evident.

"Ano, I…" Hinata yawned. "I don't know when we'll start missions. It might be tomorrow. Wantanabe-sensei wants us to work on our stealth some."

Sakura rested her chin on her fingers. "What do you think of your Jonin instructor?"

"Oh man! He's great! Yuji-sensei might be putting us through the wringer but he's trained us a lot already! How's your's?"

Kiba and Hinata both smiled at Naruto's enthusiasm. They were grateful someone on their team had energy left.

Sasuke shrugged. "Kakashi is a very strong Ninja. He blew through Sakura-chan's genjutsu, Shino's bugs and even my ninjutsu. We had to work together to even touch the bells. Teamwork turned out to be the real purpose of the exam. I know we'll become powerful training with him."

The Genin finished their meals in silence. Sakura suddenly shouted in surprise. Every one turned to face her in a mix of panic, curiosity or simply habit.

"We just had an entire conversation without insulting each other!" Kiba and Naruto exchanged 'no ways'.

"We are Genin of Konoha now. I…" Hinata yawned again. "Our Academy rivalries should stay in the Academy. "

Naruto crossed his arms. His face scrunched up like he had a headache. "Hinata-chan's right of course! I mean, since we're all so kickass, the Hokage'll probably send us on dangerous missions and our Teams are going to have to work together.

"I actually agree with that." Sasuke's voice held equal parts amusement and confusion. A few days ago, there would have been no way he would have agreed with Naruto. The cool metal of his hitai-ate reminded him of his duty. Sasuke was the last loyal Uchiha. His family's memory demanded that he serve honorably and uphold the glory of the Clan.

The members of Team Seven paid and left after a surprisingly polite good bye.

"I've got to get back. Mom says she wants to hear about the horrors 'Yuji-kun' is putting us through."

"Good night, Kiba!" Naruto gave his friend a high five.

Hinata reached down and scratched Akamaru behind the ears. "Good night, Kiba-kun and Akamaru."

"It's tomorrow isn't it?" Hinata knew exactly what Naruto was talking about. She wanted to jump up excitedly, but lacked the energy.

She settled for a quiet giggle. "Yes, Naruto-kun. The festival is tomorrow."

"What am I going to wear? I don't want to be Jukken'd back to the Sage of Six Paths!" Naruto was having terrifying visions of Angry Big Brother Neji, Disapproving Uncle Hizashi and Overprotective Father Hiashi.

Ayame leaned on the counter. "Ah, that's so cute! I think you should listen to your big brother on this one, Naruto-kun. Oh! Maybe Hinata-sama can give you advice!"

"I trust Kō-san." Hinata imagined the arguments that would no doubt erupt over the color orange.

Naruto yawned so wide that it was easy to imagine the blond swallowing a Ramen bowl whole. "We should head out, Hinata-chan."

The yawn bounced around the stand. "I agree Naruto-kun. I want a bath and to sleep."

The pair paid their bill and began the walk back to their homes. "I'll walk you home, Hinata-chan. It'll help us stay awake."

"Ok, Naruto-kun." The Hyūga heiress and the last Uzumaki exchanged small talk for a while. "Ano, Naruto-kun, Neji-niisan will be back from his C-rank mission tonight."

"Yeah, we should tell them about 'it', shouldn't we?"

Hinata nodded. "You should tell them. After you told us about the Sandaime's Law, I have been worried about their safety."

Naruto had always admired Hinata's concern for others. She radiated a calm that Naruto was grateful for. Hinata was one of the great constants in Naruto's young life. He wouldn't trade her friendship for anything.

"Well, we won't have anything to worry about soon!" Naruto smiled and placed his hands on his hips. Hinata smiled and all was right with the world.

* * *

Hanabi ran up to the gates when she heard her sister and Naruto arrive. She had never seen Hinata so tired before. Heck, Hanabi had never even seen Naruto approaching exhausted before. Their Jonin instructor must be a slave driver!

"Hello, Hanabi-imouto." Hinata says between yawns.

"Hello, onee-chan. Hello, Naruto." Naruto waves as he yawns. His mouth goes so wide that the young Hyūga took the opportunity to check for fangs. Really, she hadn't expected to see any! There was no way Naruto could be a demon!

"Oi, Hanabi-chan. Is Neji-niisan back?" Naruto asked as he stretched.

Hanabi nodded; satisfied for now that Yoshinori and Takeshi had just been jerks. "Neji-niisan has been talking with Hizashi-ojisan about his mission."

"Let's see if Hizashi-ojisan is finished with nii-san." Hinata surprised her sister with the calm confidence in the heiress's voice.

The trio quickly made their way to Hizashi's office. It was easy to hear the pride in the head of the Branch Family's voice as he told Neji to get some rest.

"Come to welcome your older brother home?" Hizashi smiled. Neji was his only true joy, especially after his wife had passed away from her illness.

Naruto flashed his famous smile. "You bet! We, uh, need to borrow him for a bit. All of us need to talk about… you know."

"Of course. That is a delicate subject. Perhaps you should speak somewhere private." Hizashi did know.

Neji maintained a neutral expression. His father obviously knew what Naruto needed to talk about. The Hyūga genius could see a slight tinge of unease in his friend's expression. It was highly unusual for the excitable and good humored boy.

"I know a place where we can talk without fear of interference."

The curious reactions of Neji's sisters and his brother-in-all-but-blood had set his mind into overdrive. What could cause such a reaction?

* * *

"Byakugan!" Kō breathed and the entirety of his surroundings was laid bare. His objective, a large bandit camp, was several hundred meters to his north. Kō's task was to infiltrate the brigands' camp and recover a stolen painting. The painting itself was unremarkable even though it was a valuable piece of art. The Hyūga had been ordered to recover the painting due to the secrets hidden in its frame. According to the briefing, the painting held the ciphers for a local lord's diplomatic messages. Kō's superior officers claimed that the bandits didn't know about the ciphers.

Riichi had also failed to mention that the bandits had two Shinobi in their ranks. Why did things always have to be so troublesome?

_Focus, K__ō__! They've only stopped for a few minutes! What path are they taking?_

Naruto's legal guardian considered his options. There were two possible paths his adversaries could take. One was well traveled and would quickly get the thieves to the border. No doubt, the forces of the local lord would be waiting to intercept the target. Even though the lord employed simple soldiers, the fight would no doubt delay the enemy long enough for Kō and the secondary team from Konoha to arrive.

_No… that wouldn't do. There would be too large a loss of life. Besides, the Shinobi wouldn't walk into so obvious a trap. They know _someone_ is following them. _

That left the second path. It was more difficult, but avoided all heavily patrolled regions. The path also gave them far more options for their ultimate destination. The only concern was that it would slow bandit caravan considerably. In truth, it was the only realistic option. The prospective Jonin raced ahead of the bandits and took a position further down the path. He watched silently as the opposing force moved out. One of the enemy ninja was on point. The objective was being carried on a rickety cart. Kō waited patiently for the advance force to pass by. He then caused a rock slide that split the bandit gang. Hyūga Kō leapt into the fray before many of his foes realized what exactly was going on. A bandit raised an alarm and grabbed a spear. Kō secured the objective and kicked the thief in the face. He leapt into the trees before the second Ninja reached him.

_Remember the briefing_, _the second relief team is about an hour behind me. I don't have backup._

The thought sobered Kō and he hid the painting in a nook in a fir tree. A growl escaped Kō's stomach and he was struck by a craving for Ramen. Suddenly, a very Naruto-like idea filled his head. Kō gleefully got to work.

The Konoha nin turned and faced the adversary that had gained ground quicker than expected.

"Give back our prize." The ninja commanded.

Kō's opponent smirked as the Hyūga entered into a Jukken stance. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Don't be so predictable, Hyūga. Your clan's fighting style is world famous."

Kō was aware that his foe wouldn't make the first move. So, Kō forced the enemy into action. He launched into the traditional opening form. The enemy ninja looked disappointed as he dodged to his right.

He quickly looked shocked as he found himself staring at Kō upside down. "Luckily for me, my little brother is the world's most unpredictable ninja."

"Excellent work Hyūga Kō. I believe that is enough for the final part of your exam."

Kō turned and saw his proctors, Sarutobi Asuma and Shirakumo Hayama, emerge from the shadows. The two Jonin helped the Chunnin down from Kō's traps.

Asuma lit a cigarette. "Your performance was good. You tracked the column well. The rockslide and the traps showed that you can think on your feet and improvise."

Hayama nodded in agreement. "Chunnin Kō, your securing of the objective was unorthodox. Why didn't you engage the criminals? Explain the reasoning behind your actions."

"Sir, I could not engage the criminals without failing my primary objective. If I had engaged the bandits and enemy ninja, I would have given an opening for multiple enemy fighters to escape with the objective. I knew that simple bandits wouldn't know about the ciphers, but the Ninja would. The bandits and likely one of the ninja would have fought and delayed me. The second Ninja would have taken the objective and fled the engagement area. The theft and loss of the diplomatic ciphers would have substantially weakened our long-time ally. Wars have been started over less. Speed was the crucial factor. I used the rock slide to split the force into smaller groups I was confident of my chances in defeating."

"The nonlethal traps?" Asuma questioned.

"This theft was orchestrated by an outside force. The bandit force and presence of ninja clearly showed a level of funding that a gang couldn't have or wouldn't use to steal a single painting. Konoha would need a living enemy to interrogate."

Hayama nodded approvingly. "Very sound reasoning. Hyūga Kō, you are dismissed for the night. Be at the Tower tomorrow morning at nine. We will tell you the results of your Jonin trials then."

Kō bowed politely, but inside he groaned. He wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight!

_Troublesome

* * *

_

The four young conspirators sat quietly in the common room between Hanabi and Hinata's room. A servant had just brought a tray of tea. Until the children were confident she had left the girl's wing, they did not speak.

"I wonder how Kō-niisan's Jonin trial is going." Naruto asked as he accepted a cup from Hanabi.

Neji ran his hand over his forehead. He saw the looks in his sisters' and best friend's eyes. It was comforting to know that there were people in the world whose hatred for the Caged Bird Seal almost equaled his own. "I am sure Kō-san is doing well in his trials. But, I know that isn't what you brought us here to talk about, Naruto."

The sole blond nodded. "Yeah… I wanted to tell you all this earlier…"

Hanabi and Neji were caught off guard by Naruto's tone and expression. Hinata's knowing look added to the depths of their confusion.

"This is an S-class secret. No matter what happens, you cannot tell anyone. It's as big of a secret as our mission for the Clan." Neji and Hanabi's nods gave Naruto a moment to collect himself. Hinata took his hand and the Jinchūriki was ready.

"You all know the story of how the Yondaime Hokage defeated the Nine Tailed Demon Fox. All the stories say the Kyūbi was killed. That's not true. Bijū can't be killed. They can only be contained. To protect the village from the return of the Kyūbi, the Fourth Hokage had to seal the Fox away. He couldn't seal it in an object or an adult. The only way to truly seal away the Nine Tails was in an infant…"

Naruto paused and sniffed in an attempt to control his tumultuous emotions. He had Kiba and Hinata's acceptance, but the fear of rejection weighed heavily on his soul.

"I was that infant. I am the jailor of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox."

Naruto's painful admission caused several pieces of evidence to click into place: the red Charka that pooled near the strange seal in Naruto's stomach, the whispers of the civilians and Takeshi and Yoshinori's cruel dismissals.

"We are more alike than I ever realized, Naruto." Neji finally spoke. "We have been branded in the name of protecting others. How long have you known about your own burden?"

"I found out two days ago. I would have told you sooner, but you left on that C-rank mission before I had the chance."

Neji smiled and nearly bowed toward Naruto. "I thank you for your trust."

The youngest child had been sitting quietly. "It can't get out can it?"

"Heck no! The seal is awesome and there is no way I'd let the demon escape and hurt my precious people."

"How can anyone think you are a demon!" Hanabi was convinced. "I can't believe Yoshinori and Takeshi are so stupid! Even those two should be able to see you are Naruto and not a fox!"

Hanabi's sudden outburst silenced everyone. "What are you talking about imouto?"

Hinata was concerned about her sister. What if Yoshinori and Takeshi knew she had overheard them?

"I was spying on those two earlier today. There is an old tunnel system running through the compound. I use it to spy on people. They were talking about Seiji-sama being pronounced blind. One of them is even next in line to be on the council! Both of them were saying horrible things about you onee-chan, Naruto and even father!" Hanabi wouldn't repeat what those two had actually called her family. It made her too angry and she didn't want to hurt her sister.

"This is not good. Takeshi and Yoshinori are the leading opposition to everything Father and Hiashi-ojisan stand for. Right now, the majority of the Council supports Hiashi-ojisan. But, if there are any more changes Uncle could lose support." Neji spoke calmly, but the words brought a specter of worry.

"Ano, Hisoka-san is also on the register of possible councilors. He is one of Father's good friends. If he is placed on the Council he would help Father's and our goals." Hinata added helpfully.

Naruto nodded. "Then we need to make sure Hisoka gets on the Council if there is another change. I remember Hinata-chan saying that the first name on the register has to be on the Council 'cause of some tradition or something. We're going to have to get Hisoka to the next slot on the list soon!"

"I'm not sure it's that easy, Naruto-kun!" Hanabi actually liked the idea, but someone had to be realistic.

Hinata thought for a moment. "Maybe we could talk to Hideko or Akihito? I heard that Akihito has mentioned he wants to spend time with his grandchildren."

"We can start this the day after tomorrow. I think we all need sleep." Naruto said cheerfully.

Hanabi leaned forward and smiled cheekily. "Oh… I see where your _priorities_ are tomorrow."

"Hanabi-chan!" Hinata knew the teasing was good natured. The four were actually very tired.

"Good night, Hinata-chan and Hanabi!" Naruto shouted. Hinata gave Naruto a quick hug before Naruto left.

Neji was more polite and subdued in his exit. The boys made it to the exit of the girl's wing when Neji spoke again.

"Naruto, what are you going to do tomorrow at the festival?"

The blond looked towards his older friend. "Uh, I'm going to have fun with Hinata-chan?"

"Right. How are you going to treat her?"

"You know I'm going to treat her awesome! She's my best friend and, I guess, my girlfriend?"

Neji stopped and cornered Naruto. "You guess?"

"It's not like that! Hinata-chan and I aren't officially dating yet! I'm not sure what I'm supposed to call us yet!" He gulped. The visions of Angry Big Brother couldn't do the terrifying reality justice.

"Very well. I don't want to find out that the two of you only did what you wanted."

Naruto entered his thinking pose. "Huh?"

Neji groaned. "Naruto, you are a good friend, kindred spirit and a strong ninja. Unfortunately, you have the attention span of a ferret. Take the 'date' slowly and make sure Hinata-imouto has the chance to do things she wants to do."

"Of course!" Naruto would have agreed with Neji on that point even if the blond didn't fear for his life like he was at the moment.

"Good, it would be a shame to have to Jukken you half way to Suna."

Naruto sighed as Neji entered his room. Why were most of his friends and family threatening to beat him senseless over this? Naruto was going to treat Hinata like a princess! The two of them were going to have a great time! The blond nodded to himself several times as he convinced himself that everything was going to be awesome. Naruto was looking forward to this! No amount of threats to be Jukkened halfway around the world or through time would dampen his spirits! As Naruto walked home, he began to wonder what proper festival clothing was. He would have to ask Kō-niisan about that. Naruto thought over what he owned and was getting some ideas. Eventually, he realized his thoughts were becoming more focused on what Hinata was going to wear. That realization stopped him in his tracks. He was thankful the Hyūga couldn't read minds or Hiashi and Neji would _end_ him for thinking like that!

Naruto somewhat reluctantly pushed those thoughts from the front of his mind. He fell asleep with a smile on his face. His friends and family had accepted him even after finding out about the Demon in his gut. Tomorrow, he was going to the Fall festival with his pretty best friend.

Life was good.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Sorry for the delay in updating! I've had midterms and a ton of work in my January Term class! It's a full semester's worth of work in a month! Yikes! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the Chapter!

Please review! The response you guys have given this story has been incredible!


	11. Chapter 11

Kō stumbled out of his room at the crack of dawn. The swirling emotions over the possible results of his Jonin trials had made it nearly impossible to sleep. Naruto had been up for a little bit. There was coffee and a bit of breakfast.

The Jonin hopeful did a double take at Naruto's place at the table. "Naruto! Why is there a shot glass?"

Naruto tore a chunk out of an apple. "Oh, I didn't want a full cup of coffee 'cause it makes me piss, but I needed the caffeine."

"Don't scare me like that. I haven't really slept." Kō grimaced as he poured a steaming cup.

"Bah, you don't need to worry. You'll be a Jonin by the time I come back to get ready for the festival." The boy's confidence was welcome.

Kō quickly downed the cup. "You aren't wearing orange."

"_WHAAT?_" A cry of utter shock shattered the morning stillness. "But… orange is like my trademark color when I'm not on missions! I don't get many opportunities to wear it!"

"You are escorting the heiress of the Hyūga clan to the festival! You will be held to the highest of standards!"

It wasn't fair! Naruto couldn't argue with Kō's 'Authority Figure Voice'! "I won't wear any orange."

The boy actually sounded like he was in pain! Kō decided to soften the blow. "I'll pick out your clothes. Naruto, just have fun tonight. You and Hinata-sama have been working very hard and deserve this."

The hug caught the Hyūga a bit off guard. "Thanks nii-san! I've got to go! Yuji-sensei will eat me alive if I'm late!"

Naruto exploded from the apartment. Kō braved Naruto's room and headed to the boy's closet. The outspoken blond would revolt if the outfit was only black. Naruto would claim that he would look too much like 'that jerk Sasuke'. So, dark blue is practically a requirement. The Hyūga quickly selected a suitable outfit and checked the clock. It was time to head out.

He took a quick, calming breath and headed for the Hokage's tower. Kō wondered what missions or training his family was undergoing.

* * *

"YOSH! My most **youthful** pupils! As a reward for stoking the flames of your youth on our C-ranked mission and so that you may enjoy the most **youthful** festival tonight, we will only continue training for another hour before doing a single D-rank mission!" Might Guy's voice boomed throughout the village.

Rock Lee began questioning why Guy-sensei was cutting back on their training so much. The other members of Team Guy took the opportunity to catch their breath.

"I hope the D-rank is quick. I have to get ready for tonight!" Tenten _tried_ to keep the girlish glee from her voice.

Neji nodded. "I don't think they appreciate how much time it takes to wash long hair."

"You really need to share how you keep your hair so nice." Tenten teased as the chorus of 'Lee' and 'Guy-sensei' came to an end. Neji was thankful for Tenten. She was an island of sanity in the sea of insanity that was Team Guy. Which, Neji supposed, is why he was looking forward to tonight.

"My Eternal Rival, Tenten-chan! Guy-sensei wishes for us to run to Training Ground Twenty three before we spar!" Lee shouted in a bombastic tone that rivaled his idol and teacher.

Neji gave a slight bow of the head. "Then let us go."

"Yosh! If I cannot beat you there my Rival, I shall fight you with an extra twenty pounds of weight!"

The two boys took off at a swift pace with the lone young woman following at a more reasonable speed. "Is there a boy in Konoha who isn't trying to show out right now?"

* * *

Yuji –sensei shook his head. "Naruto-kun and Kiba-kun, stop trying to show out. Stealth is a state of mind. You both are still trying to be separate from your surroundings. I want you both to realize that you must become _part _of your surroundings. Get down and try it one more time."

The team emerged from the forests. Kiba crossed his arms. "But Wantanabe-sensei, we're getting better at this!"

The Jonin smiled at the Inuzuka. "Indeed, I just want you to be the best you can be. Kiba-kun, I know you can do better. Your clan is famous for its abilities in tracking and hunting. Act like you are tracking a boar in this exercise. They are nearly as panicky as humans."

"Yuji-sensei, I've never been hunting. What should I do?" Naruto asked hesitatingly.

"Kō-san mentioned that you like to pull the occasional prank." The blond rubbed the back of his head sheepishly while Hinata giggled a bit. "When you are hiding from your 'victims', how do you do it?"

The Uzumaki thought for a bit. "I become very, very still. I try not to even _think _of moving. It's hard to hide from a bunch of angry Byakugan users."

"Alright, I want all of you to try again." Team Four leapt into the forest and their Jonin instructor followed them into the woods. He could notice the signs of their passing. Wantanabe's students had been in too great of a rush to hide their tracks fully. However, they did an exceptional job for being fresh out of the Academy. Yes, they did an exceptional job.

"Excellent work all of you! You may come out now." The Genin dropped down from their hiding places. "Team Four…"

Yuji was enjoying the anticipation building in his students. "Follow me to the Tower. Let's hope that Hokage-sama has a mission available for us."

"YES!" Wantanabe couldn't help but share his student's enthusiasm.

* * *

Sarutobi Asuma, Shirakumo Hayama and the Hokage reviewed the reports from Kō's Jonin trials. The Hyūga prided themselves on their exceptional control. It took the years of practice and every ounce of discipline Kō possessed not to sweat bullets. The three men across from him held his future in his hands!

"Hyūga-san, I see in your files that you have Lightning as your primary element and Water as your secondary element. That combination is highly unusual in your clan, is it not?" The Hokage chewed on his pipe as he spoke.

"You are correct, Hokage-sama. The Hyūga Clan consists primarily of Doton users. Raiton is common, but rarely as a primary element A Water Elemental type is exceptionally rare."

The aging Kage made a few notes. "Your actions during the third examination were unorthodox. The proctors note that you achieved your primary objective and even secured one of the enemy ninja for interrogation. What of the bandits and second ninja? They could have slipped away during the confrontation and been in position to continue preying on the nearby civilian villages."

"I do not dispute the possibility, Hokage-sama. However, my Byakugan has a range of nearly a kilometer and if I direct more chakra into my eyes I extend my range to nearly three kilometers. The bandits' path was known to me. I am confident in my Bloodline Limit. If required, I could have passed the objective to members of the relief squad and continued to shadow and subdue the brigands." At this point, not even Kō's ingrained Hyūga poise could keep sweat from beading at his temples.

Silenced reigned for several agonizing seconds. "Thank you for the clarifications. I have no issues concurring with the recommendations of your proctors. Hyūga Kō, I am pleased to promote you to the rank of Jonin."

"Thank you Hokage-sama!" Kō bowed politely.

"You are dismissed, Jonin Hyūga Kō, Asuma and Shirakumo. Also, Jonin Sarutobi, please thank your Genin team for their patience." The Hokage ordered in a voice filled with pride.

"Sir!" The three Jonin departed quickly.

The Hokage shuffled his papers and awaited the teams that would be arriving for their missions. As usual, Team Guy would probably be first. Might Guy was an exceptional Jonin in many ways. Hiruzen just wished the man could be quiet. At least in the morning.

The Kage known as the Professor steeled himself for a cascade of **YOUTH** as the door opened. He didn't even hide the relieved breath he exhaled when Team Four arrived.

"Morning Jiji!" Naruto almost shouted. The blond was loud at times. However, the Third was thankful Naruto knew when to speak at a more restrained tone.

"Ah, good morning, Team Four." The Hokage returned the Shinobi team's bow with a slight one of his own.

Wantanabe-sensei stepped forward. "Good morning Hokage-sama. Team Four is reporting for a D-rank mission."

"Excellent! Let's see…" The Hokage shifted through the stack of missions. He knew Naruto and Kiba would bristle if their first mission was walking dogs or painting a house. Instead, he chose a mission that while equally mundane at least appeared substantial. "I need you to deliver a shipment of goods from Land of Tea to the Hospital."

Wantanabe Yuji and Hinata quickly prevented Naruto and Kiba from voicing their disappointment. The boisterous pair decided that if the delivery was for the hospital that it must be important. Team Four was dismissed by the Hokage.

"I wonder what we'll be delivering." Naruto mused.

Hinata thought for a moment. "Since it's the hospital, the delivery is probably Quinine."

"What's so important about that?" Kiba asked as they passed the Hokage's secretary.

Yuji turned to face his charges. "It'll keep you from dying of malaria when you take a mission in a tropical region."

The firm declaration from their Jonin commander erased any lingering doubts Naruto or Kiba had about this D-rank mission.

"This is an excellent opportunity to reinforce all those lectures about duty you received in the Academy. A mission doesn't have to be a glamorous assassination or rescue mission to be vital to the survival of Konoha. Even simple D-rank missions like delivering shipments to merchants, the hospital or private citizens are important. This mission, for example, will probably help save the lives of a fellow Konoha Shinobi one day. Other D-rank missions will not be as obviously important. There is every chance we'll be painting a house or searching for lost pets. Missions like this give us a chance to build relations with clients and the civilians of Konoha. Our village is not like Iwa, Tani or Kumo where the civilians live in fear of Shinobi. Other missions will give us a chance to practice your skills in situations where your actions have consequences but will not put your lives in danger. C-Rank missions and higher will come in time, but don't rush ahead. Missions are not games. They are the lifeblood of Konoha."

Team Four pondered their teacher's words. Unfortunately, they did not get to ponder long before their thoughts were rather loudly interrupted.

"YOSH! Look, my Eternal Rival! It is your most **youthful** cousin and adopted relative!"

Neither Hinata nor Naruto had actually seen Neji's 'Eternal Rival' before. Naruto found himself wishing that he wasn't seeing him now. Neji's Eternal Rival was wearing a green spandex bodysuit with orange leg warmers. Hinata whispered to Naruto and Kiba that she remembered his name was Lee. Kiba and Naruto barely heard her as they were recoiling from Lee's enormous eyebrows and bowl cut.

"Indeed." Neji controlled his amusement at the reactions of his cousin and younger friends. "Good morning Naruto and Hinata-sama. Have you seen Kō?"

Naruto's horror was replaced by anticipation. "I saw him this morning! We must have just missed him! Did he make Jonin?"

"He did indeed." Neji spoke with pride. Naruto shouted excitedly and hugged the closet person.

Kiba pushed away. "Calm down dude."

"YOSH! While my team would enjoy joining you in your **youthful** celebration, we must secure a mission!" Naruto's excitement and anticipation were quickly replaced by horror again. Neji's instructor was a vision of the terrible future that awaited Konoha when Lee became a Jonin.

"Guy is correct. They need to get their own mission and we have our own." Yuji calmed his student and Team Four and Team Guy parted ways.

Hinata nearly tripped when Guy shouted. "**GOOD MORNING HOKAGE-SAMA!**"

* * *

Hiashi laced the seal with chakra and hid the letter behind a more mundane correspondence. Fūinjutsu was not his strong suit, but he possessed a rudimentary knowledge of the art. The head of the Hyūga clan rose from behind his desk and walked over to the corner of his office. He wasn't entirely convinced that this level of security was needed because the letter wasn't being transported by a shinobi or civilian courier.

"Here is my annual letter. Send my regards to Jiraiya-sama."

The Toad nodded and croaked before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Hiashi exited his office and walked the grounds of his Clan's compound. The appearance of his brother was welcomed even though the visit would be brief.

"I assume you have sent the letter to Jiraiya-sama?" The Branch Family head asked.

Hiashi nodded. "I have. The Summoned Toad just returned to Jiraiya-sama. He is always eager to hear about Naruto's progress."

"If he is so interested, why is he never here?" Hizashi could not understand Jiraiya's unwillingness to visit Konoha.

"Truthfully, I am not sure. He claims that he must personally maintain Konoha's Intelligence Network, which I suppose is true. I invited him to visit with our Clan during this year's Chunnin Exams."

Hizashi smiled. "I hope he accepts. The Toad Sage is a connection between Naruto and his father."

"Indeed. Brother, I have a meeting with Hideko-san. I will keep you informed of any developments."

The twins parted and Hiashi made his way to Hideko's quarters. The Councilor was sitting in a comfortable looking chair and staring out of a window.

"Forgive me, Hiashi-sama. I fear I am in no condition to rise at the moment." The man's speech and breath was labored.

"You do not need to apologize, Hideko-san. If you wish, we can reschedule."

Hideko coughed, but quickly composed himself. "That is not necessary, Hiashi-sama." He waited nearly a minute before rising and walking across the room. An observer who had not witnessed the opening of the conversation would have believed Hideko to be in perfect health. "Would you care for anything?"

"No, I am fine. What do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?" The Hyūga attempted to read each other's body language for clues.

"I am going to resign my position on the Council and reveal my condition. Tradition requires that the next name on the register take my place."

Hiashi ground his teeth. That 'tradition' was going to place two of his greatest foes on the Council. Yoshinori and Takeshi would no doubt do everything in or above their station to challenge Hiashi on his policies.

"There is another tradition. I am well in my rights to nominate my own successor as long as the Clan head acquiesces to my decision."

That tradition was rarely used because the Hyūga feared one bloc of the Main Branch gaining near permanent control over the entire Clan.

Hiashi maintained his near unnatural poise. "Who would you nominate to take your place?"

"Minoru, son of Umeko."

"You would elevate a bastard child to the Council?" Hiashi was taken aback.

"I would elevate _my_ bastard child to the Council." Hideko spat.

Hiashi took a calming breath. There had been many rumors of Minoru's parentage. However, Hideko's name had never been connected to Minoru. "I meant no disrespect Hideko-san. It is just that Minoru's heritage was an unknown. There is also the issue of Minoru being in the _Branch_ Family. The Clan nearly disposed my father for nominating a Branch member to the Council twenty-five years ago."

Hideko leaned against a counter. "I know, Hiashi-sama. I love my son and his mother. I envied you for the open love you shared with your wife. I think that regret and envy is what is causing my current condition. I could only dote on Ume and Minoru in secret. Could you imagine what would happen if I married a Branch Family woman? You know as well as I do that I will not live to see the end of the year. My soul won't rest easy if I do not openly acknowledge my son. The Clan is changing, Hiashi-sama. The actions of you, your brother and your children are responsible for building a bridge between the Hyūga."

"If I remember correctly; you initially opposed Hinata's position as heiress."

The dying man nodded and retreated into memory. "I did. You must understand, Hiashi-sama that my opposition was out of concern for her reaction to Hiromi-sama's death. Hinata-sama withdrew for months. If the Uzumaki child had not rescued her from her stupor, I am not sure what condition your daughter would have slipped into."

It was true. Hinata had been devastated by Hiromi's death. The Clan head could see how Hinata's behavior might have planted doubt in some of the council. Hiashi seethed that Hinata was nearly robbed of her birthright because she was mourning her mother.

"I will gladly support your nominated successor."

Hiashi smiled. The elevation of a Branch Family member to the Council would swing more support to Hiashi's faction of the Clan. A substantial division was forming in the Hyūga due to Yoshinori and Takeshi's rabble rousing. However, the dissidents were a clear minority. Minoru's appointment would hopefully secure a large enough portion of the unaffiliated Branch members for Hiashi's faction. Hopefully, the Loyalists would be so numerous that the Dissidents would be cowed into merely opposing Hiashi politically.

Hideko grabbed an ornately carved cane. "Hiashi-sama, would you care to accompany me to thank Minoru-san for this fine cane?"

* * *

Naruto directed half a dozen clones through the halls of Konoha General Hospital. Hinata's hypothesis had been correct. Team Four was delivering medical supplies that included Quinine. He had a lot on his mind. Foremost, Naruto was mulling Yuji-sensei's words from earlier. D-rank missions were likely to be tedious and boring. Naruto was sure that he would complain about the missions not being 'real' Ninja missions.

The Materials Manager signed the last form and handed it over to Yuji-sensei. "Excuse me, Wantanabe-san but how long can your Genin maintain that technique?"

"Oh? Ah, Naruto-kun's Kage Bunshin. He can maintain such a small number for a long time. Naruto-kun is very good at that technique." Yuji spoke softly so Naruto wouldn't hear his compliment and get a big head. "Is there anything else we need to take care of?"

The Materials Manager shook her head. "No, your team has been a huge help."

"We were happy to help." The Jonin turned to his Genin. "Team Four, time to return to Hokage-sama and report the completion of our mission."

The Ninja made their way through Konoha's busy streets. Kiba was quizzing Wantanabe about serving as an ANBU Hunter-nin. Ninja matters were the farthest thing from Hinata and Naruto's minds at the moment.

"Ne, Hinata-chan, where should we eat? I mean, we always eat at Sayuri's and Ichiraku's."

Hinata nodded. "A change would be nice. Let's not make plans! We'll just find a place when we get hungry."

Naruto was about to tease Hinata about her excitement over being spontaneous when a brown cat with a ribbon on its ear burst from the bushes lining the street. An angry Sasuke erupted from the same bushes a moment later.

"Naruto! Where did that damn cat go?"

"Uh, it headed down the street towards the hospital." Naruto was dumbstruck. Sasuke actually thanked Naruto before leaping away.

"Sasuke to Sakura and Shino, the target is heading for the hospital."

Kiba whirled around. "What the hell was that?"

"Kiba-kun; that is the infamous 'Tora Retrieval mission'. I can say with absolute certainty that you all will come to hate that hell-spawned feline."

Akamaru growled as his human partner questioned the Veteran Ninja. "All cats are hell-spawn, what makes that one any different."

"Oh, you'll see." Yuji's cryptic tone was not comforting to the Genin.

* * *

Yuji-sensei had remained at the Hokage's tower and dismissed his Genin team. The male portion of Team Four had been shocked when Hinata rushed off in a cyclone of girlish glee. Hinata was always the most reserved of the group. The Hyūga heiress had always been the eye of the hurricane that was Naruto and Kiba.

"It's really sinking in now isn't it?" Naruto asked between bites of barbeque.

Kiba swallowed. "That everything has really changed? Yeah, I guess it is."

"I mean, today was only a D-rank but lives depended on it. Then, I kinda help Sasuke on his mission and he thanks me. Yesterday, we all had a conversation that didn't collapse into insults."

"When you're right, you're right." Kiba paused. "The pay was pretty good for the mission. You could have bought enough to fill you up, dude."

Naruto finished his meal. "I want to make sure I have enough for tonight."

"Naruto, buddy, you're getting _way_ too worked up about this. Just have fun tonight. I don't think Hinata's going to judge the date by how much bank you drop."

Naruto considered Kiba's words. "Nah, Hinata-chan's not like that, but… She's my best friend and she deserves it."

"If you say so." Kiba tossed a bone to Akamaru.

"Say, Kiba what are you going to do? I thought you didn't have a date."

Kiba grinned. "I don't. I'm going to pick up some civilian chicks. I mean, Akamaru and I'll have to fight'em off with Gatsūga."

"Civilians?" Naruto was a bit skeptical.

"Yeah! I mean, I'm a talented and handsome shinobi! I've got Akamaru! _I'm awesome_. This is one of the best idea's I've ever had!"

Naruto handed over the check and the money. "Whatever, Kiba. I'm going home. I need to get ready too and I want to congratulate nii-san on his promotion."

The two parted ways and Naruto made his way back to his apartment. Kō was sitting on the couch snacking on something Naruto didn't recognize.

"Congrats nii-san!" The newly promoted Jonin was tackled from behind.

Kō coughed to clear his throat. "Thanks Naruto."

"You have to tell me all about your trials! Come on! We have plenty of time!"

The Jonin rose from his uncomfortable position. "First, I had to demonstrate that I had at least two Elemental Affinities. I had to demonstrate a good number of jutsus."

Naruto leapt up. "Can you teach me some of them?"

Kō shook his head. "Many of my jutsus were Hyūga techniques and the others are C-rank and above. You aren't quite ready for them yet."

"Ah man!" One of Naruto's favorite activities was learning new jutsu.

"Come on, you need to start getting ready." Kō pushed Naruto into his room. "In a way, you helped me pass the final exam."

A light appeared in Naruto's eyes. "Really?"

"Yes, really. I remembered how you like to pull the occasional prank. You have done anything like that recently, have you?"

Naruto gulped at Kō's Authority Figure Voice. "No."

"I'm glad to hear that. Anyway, I captured one of the 'enemy' ninja by using the rope trick you pulled on Neji when you were nine."

The blond grinned as he checked out the clothes his older brother had picked out. "Yeah, I thought Neji was going to kill me. He hates spicy food."

"Well, I used a variation of that to subdue the enemy. The proctors were impressed." Kō dodged the dirty clothes that Naruto tossed at the hamper.

"Well, I am a kickass ninja." Naruto finished checking out the clothes. "Wow, you are better at picking out clothes than I am. Heck, you're almost as good as Hinata-chan."

Kō laughed. "It's one of the other secret bloodlines we Hyūga have. Our clan has the best taste in all of Konoha."

"What's the other one?" Neji had informed Kō that deadpan humor was completely lost on Naruto. Kō decided to milk the fact for every ounce of amusement.

"Oh, you'll find out one day."

The older Hyūga left the room when he was sure that there would be no argument over orange or the lack thereof. Several minutes of productive work later, Kō heard Naruto fumbling around his room.

"Are you ok in there?"

"Yeah, knocked something off the dresser. I'm almost done." Naruto shouted back. "Nii-san, are you going out too?"

"I might head out for a little while." The door to Naruto's room opened and Kō walked over to inspect his little brother. He made a few quick adjustments. "There, now you are ready to be unleashed upon the world!"

Naruto nodded. "Thanks, nii-san!"

"Remember the curfew Hiashi-sama gave you." Kō pointed out. "Naruto, tomorrow we have to catch up on everything!"

"Ok, see you later tonight!" The Jonin chuckled as the blond Jinchūriki rushed out. Naruto had tried so hard to look calm. He failed to hide his excitement and nervousness.

_Ah, to be that age again.

* * *

_

Hanabi opened the door to her big sister's room. Hinata had been a whirlwind getting ready for tonight. Everyone in the Compound had noticed her excitement. There had been a few grumbles from some of the elder members of the clan that the heiress's excitement was 'un-Hyūga like'. The sisters were so thrilled about the festival that the annoyance of the old men didn't even register.

At first, Hinata ignored them because she was so thrilled about tonight. Then, she ignored them because Hinata was panicking. 'There's not enough time!' and 'I'm not ready!' became Hinata's most common phrases.

"Onee-chan!" Hanabi said politely as she watched her big sister finish her hair.

There was no response, so Hanabi repeated herself. Hinata was fretting over something that Hanabi couldn't see from where she was.

"ONEE-CHAN!"

Finally, a response! Hinata 'eeped' and turned around. "What is it Hanabi-chan?"

"Guess who's here?" The young Hyūga asked in a sing-song tone.

Hinata paled. "He _can't_ be here! I'm not ready!"

"You look amazing! Relax."

Hinata looked at her sister like Hanabi's Byakugan had turned into a Sharingan. "E…easy for you to say! You're ready!"

"So are you! Deep breaths, sister!" Hanabi coached her sister along. "Everything is going to be wonderful!

"O…ok."

Hanabi laughed. "It's going to be better than that! I think we're finally going to discover a way to keep Naruto from talking for a little bit!"

* * *

"Yes sir." Naruto nodded as Hiashi reminded him of the curfew.

"Where are you planning on dining tonight?" The Clan Head continued the interrogation.

Naruto fought the urge to gulp. "We… we haven't decided. On the way back from our D-rank, I asked Hinata-chan about it. She says she wants to be spontaneous."

"Very well." Hiashi's follow up was cut off by Hanabi announcing Hinata was finally ready.

The Sandaime Hokage approaching Naruto and announcing that the blond was the Third's immediate replacement and would be receiving free ramen forever would not have registered at that moment. It took the miniscule amount of spare focus to avoid dropping the flowers Naruto had bought earlier. The only thing being processed by Naruto's mind at the moment was Hinata. She was wearing a lavender kimono with a subtle pattern that resembled peacock feathers. The obi was aqua and matched the edging of the kimono. Naruto wanted to tell Hinata how beautiful she looked, but he only managed to force out a few 'wows' and 'gorgeous'.

"I told you, onee-chan!" Hanabi wore an ear-to-ear grin.

Hinata was also caught off guard by her date's appearance. She had not been reduced to monosyllable compliments and staring slacked jawed like Naruto. However, she had a light blush and a smile. Her reverie was interrupted by a single loud breath.

"Hinata-chan, these are for you." Naruto overcame his shock and handed Hinata the flowers. Hiashi was standing off to the side with his Byakugan active. If he saw a Cactus flower or Coriander, Naruto would never leave the Compound alive. Hiashi's concerns were laid to rest when he saw a few White Lilies. Hinata, for her part, was focused on the purple lilacs, white carnations and lavender. And was that Mallow?

_Oh, I hope father doesn't ask questions about _that!

Hanabi wasn't as familiar with the language of flowers as her sister, adopted big-brother and father. She just thought it was sweet that Naruto got a huge bouquet of flowers that were all Hinata's favorite colors.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled as she accepted the flowers. "They are beautiful."

"Almost as much as you are." Naruto froze when he heard Hiashi amused 'hmph'.

Hanabi nudged the blond. "Nice one."

"H…hanabi-chan, can you p…put these in a vase and take them to my… my room?"

The younger girl nodded excitedly, but gently took the flowers. "Have fun!"

Hinata and Naruto waved as the girl skipped down the hall. Hiashi nodded in their general direction.

"Enjoy yourselves."

Naruto bowed. "Of course, Hiashi-sama."

The couple headed out with a smile on their faces.

* * *

Mizuki made his way through the teeming mass of people. His contact was waiting at Satoshi's Shithole. When his under-the-table employer's had first contacted him, Mizuki had felt a pang of guilt. After his dressing down by the Hokage, all that guilt had faded away like mist.

How could the Sandaime favor a _demon_? The Professor's vaunted wisdom was clouded! The entire Hyūga clan was consorting with that… thing! The teacher shook his head. He had to keep his emotions under control. The bar was surprisingly quiet. Granted, most of Konoha was attending the Fall Festival. Mizuki nodded to the bouncer and paid his cover charge.

The contact was never the same person twice in a row. Mizuki's only constant hint of who he was meeting was the food and drink order of his handler. They always ordered steamed dumplings and strange clear liquor from the Land of Bears. An empty glass was always placed upside down at the end of the table.

Mizuki nodded at his contact. The man was a heavy set man with a broad nose and a shaven head.

"A lot of stars out tonight." The large man said as he poured a glass of the liquor for Mizuki.

Mizuki accepted the glass. "I wonder if any'll fall?"

The man was satisfied with the coded greeting. "You are punctual."

"I try. The drop is at the northern edge of Training Ground Eighteen under the shortest pine."

The large man downed his drink. "The curriculum you are passing to us is more valuable than you think. Until we can find a safe way to return to our traditional methods, you are helping us secure the future of our village."

"Isn't that sweet? I just want to save enough money to retire on some beach in Tea Country."

The large man glared at the spy. "Whatever. How is the future leader of my village?"

Mizuki poured himself another glass of the liquor. "He is progressing nicely. The boy hasn't awakened fully, but is paired with a talented Jonin."

The Handler nodded. "Good, he will be our first true Kage. The Path has been laid before him and he is progressing swiftly."

_What is The Path?_ Mizuki had asked once about The Path, but his handler at the time remained utterly silent. After finishing the alcohol and dumplings, Mizuki left the bar. He was going to collect his payment and dream of palm trees and white sand. The Hidden Village of the Leaves deserved whatever fate Mizuki was guiding it towards!

* * *

"Four throws left! Can this young man win something for his pretty girlfriend?" The stand vendor worked the crowd. Naruto had hit three of the targets including two of the moving ones. He needed to hit with his remaining throws and hit at least one more moving target to win one of the biggest stuffed animals. The vendor had seen his hitai-ate and used the more 'difficult' Shinobi course.

_Man, these things are horribly balanced_. Naruto groaned a bit. He took aim at one of the small moving targets and centered himself. The crappy practice kunai nailed it. The Genin fist pumped. He waited for the next moving target to appear on the course. The throw was on target once again. Naruto casually hit the final required target with a smile.

"We have a winner!" A few of the civilians clapped while the vendor asked Hinata what she wanted.

"I'll take the toad." Hinata said politely. Her blush hadn't turned off the entire time Naruto was trying his hand at the game. She wasn't used to be the center of attention like this.

"Where should we go next, Hinata-chan?" Naruto was wearing a broad and triumphant smile.

"Ano, let's find a place to sit for a bit." Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand.

The Hyūga and the Uzumaki navigated through the crowds and found an empty bench. It was in a secluded area. It was the first time tonight that Naruto could hear himself think.

"Naruto-kun, thank you for tonight."

Naruto chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "You're welcome. This has been fun hasn't it?"

"It has! Oh, did you hear that Sasuke is here with Sakura?"

"Oh, so that was the cause of the wail from earlier?" Naruto asked with a laugh.

"I think I'm ready to grab a bite to eat. Let's get something before the fireworks!"

A few minutes later, they arrived at the restaurants. Ichiraku was covered up, which made Naruto happy. It was his favorite restaurant and if he wasn't eating there tonight it made him glad to see Teuchi doing well.

"Have you ever had Oden?" Hinata's voice drew his attention away from his friend's establishment.

"I don't think so, want to try it?"

Hinata nodded. "I don't know, it's probably messy."

"Yeah, we can always try it later. How about Tonkatsu?"

"Sure!" Naruto grabbed Hinata's free hand and they headed towards the nearest restaurant. Naruto caught a glimpse of Kiba in the midst of several civilian girls. Most of the civilians' attention was on Akamaru, but Kiba didn't care. Kiba nodded at Naruto and mouthed 'boo-yah'. The blond bit back a snort of laughter.

"What is it Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked as they waited for a hostess.

Naruto shook his head. "Our dear teammate Kiba is enacting his brilliant plan to pick up civilian girls."

"Why would he do that?"

"It's _Kiba_." That, at least to Naruto, explained everything.

The Hostess led them to a table. The girl recognized the Hyūga heiress and became the single most polite person in Konoha. Unsurprisingly, the highest ranking employee came to take their orders. Naruto and Hinata passed the time just talking. They didn't mention the Academy, missions, their conspiracy to change the Hyūga Clan or anything serious. Naruto confessed that Hiromi had been the one that sparked his love of gardening. Hinata told stories of how her mother had taught her to press flowers. The food arrived and they ate quickly.

"I think Kō suspects that we're planning a prank." Naruto said as he finished his water.

Hinata, thanks to years of etiquette training, _did not_ spit out her drink in shock. "What?"

"He asked me if I'd pranked anyone recently. I told him I hadn't, but he gave The Disappointed Look."

"I… I'm sure he's just being a responsible adult."

Naruto shrugged and motioned for the check. The manager quickly came and collected everything. He practically begged Hinata for a positive review to her family. Naruto and Hinata headed out.

"Come on, I found the greatest place ever to watch the fireworks yesterday." Naruto flashed a knowing smile.

"How did you find it yesterday? When? I mean, you were with Kiba and me practically all day yesterday."

The Jinchūriki laughed. "When Hizashi-sama was teaching me Kage Bunshin, he told me that when the Bunshin dispels, it transfers the memories to me."

"Amazing!" Hinata was in awe. She knew that jutsu took an incredible amount of Chakra. The lavender-eyed Hyūga would train even harder to increase her Chakra endurance. That skill, if everything Naruto had told her was true, was one of the most useful Hinata had ever heard of!

"It is, come on; I just hope we don't run into any ANBU."

Naruto flashed his famous mischievous smile and guided Hinata towards the spot. "Where are we going, Naruto-kun?"

"I'm not telling! It's a surprise!"

"Could you at least tell me why there a risk of running into ANBU?"

Naruto was taking a roundabout route to his destination. "You'll know why when we get there!"

After a few minutes, they reached a chain-link fence. There was a locked gate. Naruto fidgeted with the lock. Hinata quickly realized it hadn't been locked at all.

"I unlocked it yesterday." The boy answered the unspoken question.

Realization dawned on Hinata. "This is the Hokage Monument!"

Naruto grinned as he fished out a hidden blanket from a bag. He set up the blanket on top of the Yondaime's head. "I told you this is the greatest place ever!"

The Hyūga Heiress activated her Byakugan and swept the area. "No one's here but us."

"Nope!" The Uzumaki helped Hinata take a seat. Moments later the fireworks started. She trusted Naruto completely. She hadn't expected him to be so _right_ about this spot.

"Thank you Naruto-kun." Hinata quickly kissed Naruto on the cheek. For once, Hinata caused Naruto to blush a hundred shades of red. As the fireworks continued, she rested her head on his shoulders.

Naruto only had one thought. _This night isn't long enough.

* * *

_**Author's Notes**: Again, sorry for the gap in updates. I've had a bunch on my plate recently, but hopefully now that things aren't _so_ crazy I'll be able to pick the pace up again.

Translations of the Language of Flowers/Hanakotoba

Cactus Flowers: Lust  
Coriander: Lust (See why Hiashi was prepared to kill Naruto over those two flowers potential presence?)  
White Lilies: Purity/Chasity (This was chosen so Hiashi wouldn't Jukken Naruto into Shippuden)  
Purple Lilacs: First Emotion of Love  
White Carnations: Sweet and Lovely, innocence, pure love, faithfulness  
Lavender: Faithful  
Mallow: Consumed by Love (Ino put those in. That may or may not be in an omake (first one ever) next chapter)


	12. Chapter 12

Wantanabe Yuji stood quietly to the side of the training area. His students were practicing advanced tricks with shuriken and kunai. Yuji couldn't help but laugh at the antics of his students. Kiba was constantly scanning the roads while Naruto and Hinata smiled at each other when they thought no one was looking. The first time Yuji noticed Kiba's increased awareness; the Jonin quietly asked about it.

"Civilian Fangirls!" The Inuzuka shuddered. "Next time I see the Uchiha, I'm going to apologize for laughing at his horrible burden."

Wantanabe laughed again. Despite his amusement, he was focused on his students. They were becoming proficient in the wired-shuriken techniques. Team 4 would likely never be able to pull off some of the feats an Uchiha with the Sharingan could, but they would be beyond most others. In a moment of vanity, he admitted that his students had an incredible amount of potential. He was proud to be their teacher.

"Excellent work. Let's take five minutes before we head to the Tower for a mission."

The Team acknowledged their sensei and moved to rest. Yuji walked over to the Genin as they did their cool down exercises.

"Naruto-kun and Hinata-chan, I feel now is a good time for you to explain the story behind your 'creative' way of meeting curfew."

The two Genin in question blushed and laughed nervously. "We, uh, lost track of time up on the Hokage Monument." Naruto admitted.

Hinata cast her eyes towards the ground. She looked bashful, but there was no denying her smile. "It was hard to move around Konoha, especially dressed up. We got within sight of the Compound with five minutes to spare. I… I didn't think we were going to make it. I really didn't want to think what my father's reaction would be."

"Luckily I planned for that. I hid two small logs near the wall. We used body replacement and got back on time."

Kiba shifted as Akamaru crawled into his jacket. "Praise the Log?"

"Praise the Log." Naruto intoned with mock reverence.

The Jonin-sensei chuckled. "You can practice your religion on your own time. Let's get a mission."

"I hope we aren't painting houses or chasing after that evil cat." Hinata pouted.

Akamaru barked in agreement. "Ain't that the truth! What mission do you think we'll get, Naruto?"

"Huh? Oh, right. Sorry, I was distracted." Naruto responded finally to Kiba's question. He saw the Inuzuka's raised eyebrow. "Hey, blame Hinata-chan for being so cute! Anyway, we'll probably get something like walking civilian dogs or moving packages."

Kiba was teasing Naruto and Hinata about the step they had taken in their relationship. Naruto suddenly gaped and pointed towards the gates.

"No way!" The rest of Team Four watched as Naruto rushed over to the Gates. "Oi! Sasuke, why is your team at the Gates?"

The Uchiha smirked. "Team Seven has a C-rank mission! We're going to escort some bridge builder to Wave Country!"

"If Kakashi-sensei ever shows up!" Sakura moaned.

Yuji let the teams speak for a moment. His Genin had trained hard this morning, even after staying out late at the festival. He was especially proud that the kids had trained without complaint.

Kiba approached Sasuke. "Hey, Sasuke, I'd like to apologize for something."

"Hn?" Sasuke was so shocked he couldn't even say a word.

"Yeah, I never knew the horrors of Fangirls until last night. I apologize for making light of the terrors you experienced in the Academy."

The Last Uchiha was still stunned. "Apology accepted, I guess. If you need places to hide from them, I'll tell you when I get back."

Kiba nodded. The two were now allies against a mortal and terrifying foe. Hinata and Sakura were off to the side talking about the festival.

"And then Sasuke-kun took me to a dock on the Uchiha grounds to watch the fireworks."

Hinata couldn't help but smile at the look in Sakura's eyes. "Naruto-kun and I watched the fireworks from the top of the Hokage monument."

The girls chatted away and off to the side, Naruto and Shino were conversing about the mission. "Man, you guys are so lucky! We're stuck with D-ranks until Yuji-sensei thinks we're ready."

"I will confess that I believe it may be too soon for us to undertake this mission. However, I am confident in our individual abilities."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I just hope we get one soon. I mean, Team Four has been training a whole bunch. I know we can handle a C-rank."

"FINALLY!" Sakura shrieked as Kakashi and Tazuna appeared further down the street.

Kakashi cast a quick glance at Naruto. The blond couldn't see the man's face under his mask, but he swore Kakashi was smiling. "Sorry we're late. You see, Tazuna and I were walking past the museum this morning when a saber-toothed tiger escaped from his icy prison! We had to run and were only saved when Tazuna offered it some sake! The cat got drunk and went to sleep! It was adopted by a little orphan girl who named him Snooples. The big cat had a change of heart and let us go!"

"LIAR!" Naruto, Sakura and Hinata all yelled at the same time.

Yuji sighed. "My apologizes, Kakashi-sempai."

The masked Jonin shook his head and made a quick hand sign. "Don't worry about it, Yuji. We're heading out. We'll have to catch up and trade stories later."

"I'd like that. Good luck, sempai."

Kakashi waved and lead Team Seven and their client out of the village. Naruto and Kiba looked in their teacher's direction and were about to ask if they could get a C-rank mission. However, there was something off with their teacher. It almost looked like Yuji-sensei and Kakashi-sensei had completed an entire conversation without words.

The Genin remained quiet as they entered the Hokage's Office. "Team Four reporting for a mission assignment, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage looked up and grinned. Mizuki was assisting the Hokage at the moment and barely managed to hide his distaste for the Jinchūriki and his lackeys. "Ah, it is good to see you all. I have only a few D-ranks left for today."

Before Mizuki could take the satisfaction in assigning Team Four a babysitting mission, the Hokage intervened. "The Hospital has a second shipment of Quinine that has just arrived. It is a small order so you should be able to undertake a second D-rank before the end of the day."

"We accept the mission, Hokage-sama. Team Four will return for a second mission soon."

The boys liked the idea of doing multiple D-ranks. Hopefully, this would allow them to undertake a C-rank soon. Naruto made use of his Kage Bunshins and this allowed the entire delivery to be transported in a single trip. Everyone was curious about the C-rank mission Team Seven had received. Yuji-sensei had been preparing to answer the inevitable questions all morning. He hadn't expected his team, especially Kiba, not to ask when they would get their own C-rank. They were showing incredible maturity.

"Wantanabe-sensei, will we have time for a second mission?" Yuji had expected that question from Naruto or Kiba, but not from Hinata.

"Yes, Hinata-chan. We have time." The Jonin smiled as he heard the two boys shout 'awesome'.

Team Four made their way to the Tower. Yūhi Kurenai led her Genin team of the twins Kenji and Miho, and Hibachi out of the Hokage's office.

"You guys just finish a mission, too?" Kiba asked Team Eight.

Hibachi nodded. "Heck yeah! It was actually interesting! We were the escort for a foreign merchant for the day!"

Kenji snorted. "All we did was escort him from his hotel to the bank and the Kuruma compound."

Naruto perked up. "What rank?"

The beautiful genjutsu mistress smiled at the other Genin team. "We did not leave the walls of Konoha, so it was only a D-rank."

Miho rolled on the balls of her feet. "I guess you heard about Team Seven's C-rank?"

"We saw them this morning before they left." Hinata mentioned idly.

Kurenai collected her Genin and the two teams parted. Team Four returned to the Hokage's office.

"Jiji! We finished the mission!" Naruto proudly announced.

Mizuki snarled at the blond. "Show some respect for your Hokage!"

"It is alright, Mizuki-san." The Hokage gently diffused the situation.

Wantanabe fought the urge to shake his head. "As my hyperactive Genin said, we have completed the delivery to the Hospital. Team Four would like to request a second mission."

Sarutobi nodded to Mizuki. The teacher cleared his throat. "There are only two missions left for the day. You can walk the dogs of the civilian merchants or babysit for the members of the civilian council."

"Dogs!" All three Genin said in unison. Akamaru yipped in agreement.

"Very well." Mizuki handed over the scroll to Wantanabe. "Good luck on your mission."

Team Four left the Office after bowing. The Sandaime relit his pipe.

"Mizuki-san, I believe you have done enough today. I thank you for your assistance."

Mizuki bowed. "You are welcome, Hokage-sama. Good evening."

The teacher left quickly and the Hokage turned his attention to the ANBU who was waiting outside the window.

"What is the situation?"

The Badger-masked ANBU entered the room. "As per the message Kakashi-sempai sent through Wantanabe-sempai, we sent a patrol along Team Seven's route. It is as we feared; Tazuma filed a false mission request. We secured two missing nins, the Demon Brothers."

"Where are the former Kiri ninja now?"

Badger inclined his head. "They are with Ibiki-san."

The Hokage flipped through the roster of available Jonin. There were only a few currently in Konoha. The Sandaime smiled as he saw the last name on the page he had just flipped to.

"Please summon Hyūga Kō. I have a mission for him."

* * *

"You know, this isn't a half bad way to end the day!" Kiba had taken the lead on the cell's final D-rank of the day.

Hinata rubbed a small black and white spotted dog behind the ears. "It is! What do you think Naruto-kun?"

"I'm with Hinata-chan. We trained a lot this morning and completed a valuable D-rank after lunch. This is a good way to wind down!" Naruto smiled at his teacher and teammates.

Kiba snapped out a few weird sounds and the mass of dogs turned left at the intersection. The young men and young woman happily conversed about a dozen different topics. All the while, their Jonin instructor was watching them. He was of two minds. One the one hand, he was incredibly proud of his students. They all possessed an amount of potential Wantanabe had trouble believing somehow. Above all, his team trusted and respected each other implicitly. Kiba and Hinata never wavered in their acceptance of Naruto's terrible burden. Those three would fight tooth and nail for each other. Each possessed the Will of Fire that the Hokage spoke of so fiercely.

That part of his mind considered _his _students ready.

The second part of his mind wasn't entirely sold. They had made incredible progress, certainly. However, they had several areas that needed work. He knew that Kakashi-sempai had his concerns about the sincerity of Team Seven's C-rank.

But, was the Copy-nin's concern born from lack of faith in the client or lack of faith in his team? He doubted it was the later. Hatake had never even passed a team before his current Genin. Yuji sighed and was almost wishing for a solo C-rank to clear his head.

"Ano, is everything alright Wantanabe-sensei?" Hinata asked while coaxing a small dog back to the mass of canines Team Four was walking.

"Everything is fine, Hinata-chan. I was merely thinking of how productive today has been."

"Oh, I hope we have met your expectations Wantanabe-sensei."

The teacher could only nod silently. Naruto and Kiba began returning the dogs to their owners. The task was completed quickly and Team Four began the walk back to the Hokage's Tower.

* * *

Kō entered the Hokage's office as ordered by the ANBU. The Hyūga couldn't believe he was already receiving his first solo Jonin mission.

"Sandaime-sama, I am reporting as ordered."

"Ah, it is good to see a Jonin with a sense of punctuality. I am sure that you have heard that Kakashi-san and Team Seven received a C-rank mission this morning."

Kō nodded. "I am aware, Hokage-sama." He was also aware that Naruto would be complaining the second he got home.

"Kakashi had his doubts about his client's sincerity. It seems that his prudence has borne fruit. Team Seven was engaged by two missing nin from Kiri. I have not received word from Team Seven in some time so I must assume they have been engaged by another enemy. You are to depart, immediately, for the Land of Waves to support Team Seven."

The freshly promoted Hyūga bowed to the Hokage. "Are there other objectives in addition to the original mission parameters, Hokage-sama?"

"Bring them back alive, Kō-san."

The Jonin bowed to the Hokage and departed immediately. He rushed home and collected his ninja gear. Kō wrote a quick note to Naruto informing of his mission and left some money. The Hyūga rushed through the Hidden Village of the Leaves and departed for the Land of Waves.

* * *

Hiruzen was celebrating his great, though temporary, victory over his hated enemy; paperwork! He was happily mixing paint when Team Four returned from their late mission.

"Good evening, Hokage-sama. Team Four reporting the successful completion of the dog walking mission." Wantanabe stated crisply.

The Hokage walked to his desk and handed out the payment for the mission. "I must commend you all for your efforts today. Very few teams complete two D-rank missions in the same day."

"My team is very diligent and driven, Sandaime-sama." The Jonin couldn't keep the pride from his voice.

The Third Hokage took a satisfied drag on his pipe. "Excellent. That will serve them well. I do believe you have all earned some rest for the evening."

"Thank you, Jiji!" Naruto had always liked Old Man Hokage. He would often wish he had more time just to visit him.

"You are welcome Naruto." The aging Kage smiled. Hinata and Kiba added their thanks. Sarutobi returned to his painting with a light in his eyes and a spring in his step.

_This generation certainly has the Will of Fire_.

* * *

"Huh, the lights are off…" Naruto said nonchalantly as he unlocked the door. He flipped the switch and immediately noticed the note on the counter.

_Naruto, the Hokage gave me an urgent mission. Team Seven needs backup on their mission. They were engaged by a pair of missing-nin. Don't worry, I'm a Jonin now. I don't know how long I will be gone. Money for food is in the usual place. Behave while I'm gone! If you want, you can stay at the Compound. – K__ō_

"Nii-san got a mission! Oh man, Sasuke is going to **hate **being rescued by a Hyūga!" Naruto was proud of his older brother. He had to brag about this! Naruto quickly washed up and changed clothes. He'd do laundry tomorrow night. On his way out, he locked up.

The blond decided he was going to take the short cut and used his chakra to walk down the side of the apartment complex.

"Good evening, Naruto-san!" An older woman was walking up the stairs towards her apartment.

Naruto waved. "Good evening, Kikyo-san! How are you?"

The store clerk smiled. "Oh, I am fine. I thought you would be finished with your shinobi duties for today."

"I am! My team is awesome! We finished two D-rank missions in one day!"

Kikyo clasped her hands together. "Fantastic!" She then noticed that Naruto had cleaned up. "Are you headed to see Hinata-sama?"

The woman laughed as the young ninja blushed slightly. "I am. Kō-niisan got a special mission from the Hokage and had to leave earlier today. My original plans to hang out with nii-san kinda are out the window now."

"Did he? I will pray for his safe return." Kikyo said as she opened the door to her apartment.

Naruto waved vigorously. "Thank you, Kikyo-san! Have a great night!"

It was still early in the evening and the streets of Konoha were bustling. This was Naruto's favorite time to just walk through the city. There was an undeniable energy in Konoha. The blond _loved_ Konoha. Unlike all the other major Shinobi villages, the civilians were allowed to mingle with the ninja. Naruto would have never gotten to enjoy talking to his non-ninja neighbors in Iwa or Tanigakure.

As he made his way to the Hyūga Compound, he simply listened to the sounds of Konoha and watched as the city went about her business. Naruto savored the smells of the restaurants and the other shops. The Jinchūriki saw a few places he was considering for his next date with Hinata-chan.

Naruto checked in with the guards and was greeted by Hanabi.

"Naruto-niisan! I thought you were looking forward to hanging out with Kō-san tonight!"

Naruto shook his head. "Nii-san got an important mission from the Hokage! He had to leave earlier today."

Hiashi's youngest daughter grabbed Naruto's hand. "Come on! Everyone is in the sitting area; you have to tell us everything!"

Naruto was led into the sitting room by the excited Academy student. "Guess who's here!"

The assembled Hyūga smiled as Naruto entered behind the bounding Hanabi. "Good evening, Hiashi-sama, Hizashi-sama and Neji-niisan." He bowed politely. "Hey Hinata-chan!" He didn't even hide his excitement.

The three Hyūga men shook their heads. _It hasn't even been two hours and he's acting like he hasn't seen her in days_.

"Hello Naruto-kun." Hanabi gave her sister a mocking, but good natured, 'aw' as Naruto sat next to her. Hinata returned the favor with a face.

Hiashi, as always, maintained exceptional poise and hid his considerable amusement. "Naruto, would you care to share the news that has my youngest daughter so excited?"

"Of course, Hiashi-sama. I'm sure the news that Team Seven got a C-rank has reached the Compound?"

"It has. Hinata-sama expressed her… shock that they received one so early in their careers earlier." Hizashi said with a laugh.

Naruto had been waiting to complain, loudly, to Kō about Team Seven getting a C-rank. Naturally, Kiba and his family were likely talking about it; probably much louder than Naruto would have. The fact that Hinata had spoken so strongly about it was surprising. Hinata had the 'Hyūga Poise'. She had incredible emotional control. Naruto wore his emotions on his sleeves and it was trivial for him to show his passions. Hinata was not as quick to act on her emotions as Naruto was. She was just as emotional as Naruto, but her passions did not have the control over her as Naruto's possessed over him.

He was grateful for it. Hinata's calm would probably end up saving his life one day. The Uzumaki's first instinct was to rush into any given situation and act on his first impulse. In Yuji-sensei's training exercises, Hinata was always the one to keep Kiba and Naruto focused. Naruto trusted her completely.

"Evidently, Team Seven's mission got complicated. They were attacked by two missing nin. Kakashi-san defeated them. He requested assistance. Jiji, er, Hokage-sama _personally_ selected Kō-niisan to support Team Seven. Sasuke is going to _flip_ when he's rescued by a Hyūga!"

Naruto beamed at the satisfied and triumphant smirks on Neji, Hizashi and Hiashi's faces. "That is excellent news, Naruto. Do you have plans for dinner?"

"No, Hiashi-sama."

The Clan Head nodded. "I will inform Rika to set another place at the table. It will be an _excellent_ opportunity for you and Hinata to share your experiences at the Festival with the rest of us." He was enjoying invoking his paternal right to make the boy dating his daughter squirm a bit.

"Yes, I will enjoy hearing the story as well." Hizashi turned towards the amused Neji. "I'm sure you will not mind sharing a few details about your date, too."

The grin that had adorned Neji's face underwent a metamorphosis. Now, Neji shared the same look of 'concern' as his adopted brother figure. The dinner was simple by Hyūga standards, but made with the highest quality ingredients. The twin Family heads took far too much enjoyment in prodding Hinata, Neji and Naruto about their dates. The boys made considerable effort to point out that they had been _complete_ gentlemen on their dates. Hinata put an equally considerable effort to support her boyfriend and older brother. Hanabi, for her part, called on every minute of the etiquette training she had received to resist the urge to cackle. Hiashi seemed satisfied with Naruto and Hinata's 'report' and allowed permitted them to leave the table when they finished their meal.

"Why did that feel like a B-rank mission?" Naruto said as soon as Hinata and he left the room.

Hinata shook her head and smiled. "Father was just curious how the festival went."

Naruto looked at the heiress in disbelief. "Curious! That was an interrogation! Iruka-sensei should borrow your dad for a day and have Hiashi-sama ask questions to the students! It'd be great training for handling being questioned by enemy nin!"

"Naruto-kun! Father is not _that_ scary!" Hinata playfully thumped Naruto on the back of the head.

"But that was nerve wracking! I mean, I kept thinking I wasn't going to meet the high standards you deserve and get Jukkened back to the Sage of Six Paths!"

Hinata took Naruto's hand. "You do realize that Father _likes_ you? Right, Naruto-kun?"

The Hyūga patron shook his head. "I know, but you're his daughter. Hiashi-sama liking or disliking me doesn't apply in that situation! Hinata, you should be on a pedestal above pretty much everyone else."

"I don't want to be on a pedestal above you Naruto-kun. I want to walk beside you." Hinata spoke in a quiet but contented voice.

Naruto smiled as the couple sat on Hiromi's favorite bench. "There's the blush! I was afraid I'd never see it again. You're finally showing all the confidence you have to the world."

"I… We are ninja now. I have to start being strong for you." Hinata rested her cheek on Naruto's shoulder.

"Start being strong? You've always been strong…" There was a quiet moment and time seemed to slow to a crawl. Neither Shinobi had felt this complete since the Hokage Monument.

* * *

Hiashi and Hizashi walked through the corridors of the Compound. "You enjoyed making the children squirm, nii-san."

The older twin held the ghost of a smile. "I have a Council Meeting tonight. I needed the entertainment. Besides, I am Hinata's father and have a right to know how she was treated on her date."

"I know. You bear a heavy burden, brother. I have enough stress with Neji. If I have that much trouble with a single son; I could not imagine the stress of having two beautiful daughters. They will both be dating soon. If you need help putting their boyfriends in place; let me know."

Hiashi chuckled with a combination of humor and horror. "Thank you, brother."

"Ah! There you are, Hiashi-sama!" The Clan Head envied Naruto's ability to act on his emotions at that moment. Naruto would have groaned and rolled his eyes at the person approaching.

Hiashi's station did not allow for such luxuries. "Good evening, Yoshinori-san. Is there something you require?"

"Yes, I have heard news that Hideko-sama is retiring tonight." Yoshinori bowed.

"That is correct." Hiashi was willing his political foe to be satisfied with the answer and leave.

Hiashi had no such luck. "It is a shame, he is a fine man. Do you know who is replacing the esteemed Councilor?"

"Hideko-san's successor is unknown to me." According to the letter of Clan law, only Hisao the Head of the Council should have access to the Register. Yoshinori and Hiashi were maneuvering for any advantage.

"Then, there is substantial turnover on the Council tonight. Will Hinata-sama be attending?"

Yoshinori weathered the glares from the twins. Hiashi fought the urge to growl at the man. "My daughter has completed a strenuous day in service to Konoha. Hinata trained all day with her Jonin instructor _and _completed _two_ D-rank missions with her team. As a reward for her hard work and dedication, I have allowed her to rest tonight."

"Her service to Konoha has brought honor to the Clan. However, the heiress should be personally involved and aware of such momentous shifts in the political power of the Clan. It would appear unseemly if the heiress was not involved in this process."

If Hizashi had not put his hand on Hiashi's shoulder, the Clan Head would have activated his Byakugan. It was widely known that Hiashi possessed two emotional pressure points: the memory of his wife and his love and pride for his daughters.

"My heir, my _daughter_, has a name! You will refer to Hinata as Hinata-sama as befitting her position."

"I offer my apologizes, Hiashi-sama."

"_I_ am not the one who you are required to apologize too. Hinata is likely in the garden. You will apologize to her in person and we shall attend the meeting."

Yoshinori fought the urge to smile. He had maneuvered Hiashi into bringing Hinata into the meeting. There was no way the heiress could be insulated from seeing her father lose control of the Council now! Once Takeshi joined Yoshinori on the Council, they could begin eroding her will. It would be a long process, but they would force Hinata back into the emotional trap she fell into after the death of her mother. Yoshinori realized the cruelties of his plan, but the needs of the Clan came before any individual.

Hizashi led the two main branch members towards the Gardens. Nominally, he was fulfilling his role as a member of the Branch House. In truth, he was allowing his brother to vent his frustrations by glaring a hole in Yoshinori's back. As Hiashi predicted, Hinata was in the garden. Yoshinori felt the bile rise in his gut.

She was with the demon.

"You've always been strong…" The future councilor watched in horror as the two leaned in for a kiss. He cast a quick glance to the Clan head and bit back his shock. Hiashi was _smiling_. He was _happy_ that his daughter was consorting with the Kyūbi. He did not care for the heiress, but he could not allow _this!_

"Excuse me, Hinata-sama." Yoshinori stepped into the Gardens. He never saw Hizashi struggle to calm his enraged brother. "I am sorry to interrupt, but I must apologize, I have been showing insufficient respect for your position."

The councilor bowed to hide his triumphant grin. Naruto growled and mumbled. "If you want to apologize, get the hell out!"

Hinata was equally as furious. _Naruto-kun was about to _kiss _me!_ "I am not sure I can accept your apology, Yoshinori-san. Your tone lacks sincerity. If I am to forgive you for your disrespect, I must see action."

Yoshinori noticed the choice of honorific and Hinata's own tone. "Hinata-sama, I am being elevated to the Council tonight. Protocol dictates that Councilors be addressed with sama."

"I am well aware of the dictates of protocol, Yoshinori-san. I am also aware that you are not a Councilor yet."

The elder Hyūga ground his teeth. The demon was _gloating_ at the disrespect Hinata was showing him! Yoshinori could not abide by this! He rose to his full height and prepared to respond to Hinata's barb.

The subtle amount of killing intent leaking from Hiashi stifled any retort Yoshinori could offer.

"My daughter, you are to accompany us to the Council chambers. As Yoshinori-san pointed out, we are elevating two new members to the Council. You are my heir and have the _right_ and _privilege _to speak for or _against_ the nominees." Hiashi, surprisingly, was not the angriest man in the room. That honor belonged to Naruto; who wanted nothing less than to challenge Yoshinori to a duel right then and there. Only Hinata's presence kept his fiery emotions under control.

"Of course, otou-sama." Hinata's voice carried all the formality and dignity her station commanded. In an instant, her tone shifted. "I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto-kun."

She quickly kissed Naruto on the cheek. Naruto was _slightly_ less angry. "I can't wait, Hinata-chan. Good night Hiashi-sama, Hizashi-sama. Bye Yoshinori."

It was as polite a 'fuck you' as Hiashi had ever heard. He _knew_ there was a reason he let Naruto date his daughter.

As Naruto stormed out of the gardens, Yoshinori scowled at Hiashi. "How can you allow that child to be so… familiar with Hinata-sama?"

Hiashi walked off so that his enemy could not see the smile on his lips and the light in his eyes. "There is no Clan law against a couple being affectionate with one another."

Yoshinori had been thoroughly outmaneuvered and he knew it.

* * *

The sea was very calm tonight. Kō was thanking any deity that would listen for this fact. He had been pushing hard to catch up with Team Seven. The Jonin had to admit he was impressed by the pace the Genin Team had made especially considering they were escorting a civilian.

"Byakugan!" Kō activated his Dojutsu and searched the area. At the very edge of his vision, he found a battleground. "Oh no."

The Hyūga rushed to the location. _This must have been a fierce battle_. Kō continued to scan the area for evidence of the encounter.

_The area was recently flooded. The water still has a bit of chakra residue as well. Whoever was here must have possessed a powerful Water Affinity. _

Shuriken and kunai littered the ground. Kō noticed a pattern in the locations of the thrown weapons and a few wet areas. "Mizu Bunshins, and a lot of them. Whoever they fought was strong…"

The Konoha shinobi was relieved that there wasn't much blood on the ground. He did notice a few dead Kikachū bugs. "Team Seven is still alive."

Kō focused more Chakra into his Byakugan and expanded his range. "Found you."

The Jonin rushed towards the location he had noticed the Aburame boy patrolling. It took a few minutes for Kō to reach the house. He did not want to accidently force a confrontation, so the Hyūga emerged from the woods on foot.

"Good evening." The Genin entered a fighting stance, but nodded politely.

"You are a Hyūga."

Kō returned the nod. "I am. Sandaime-sama sent me as relief."

"I will need proof of your identity, Hyūga-san." Kō nodded and presented a scroll to the Aburame. A small swarm of Kikachū inspected the scroll before their host would accept it. The Genin opened the scroll when he was assured of a lack of traps. He read intently.

"Welcome, Jonin Hyūga Kō. I am Aburame Shino. Please follow me; I am sure Kakashi-sensei will want to speak with you."

Shino lead Kō into the comfortable home. The other two members of Kakashi-sempai's cell were sitting at the table with an older man and an attractive young woman.

"Did Konoha send you as backup?" Uchiha Sasuke asked between bites of food.

Kō nodded. "Hokage-sama is _concerned_ about the incorrect ranking of this mission."

The old man flinched. That meant he was likely Tazuna; the client.

"We're glad you are here. Kakashi-sensei is exhausted. If Zabuza comes back…"

That name sent a shiver down Kō's spine. "Zabuza! He was a former member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Where is Kakashi-sempai?"

"I'll take you to him." Sasuke finished his food and led the newly arrived Jonin to the upstairs bedroom.

Hatake Kakashi was laying on a futon. Kō could tell he was feigning sleep, even without using his Byakugan. "Kakashi, the Hokage has sent the backup you requested."

"I'll speak with Kō-san in private. It is Sakura's turn with the watch. Let her know for me, Sasuke."

"Sure." The Uchiha left the two Jonin alone.

"You made excellent time." Kakashi said with a pleased light in his visible eye.

Kō chuckled. "I wore myself getting here. The Hokage was adamant that Team Seven return alive to Konoha after completing your mission."

Kakashi propped himself up. "Sandaime-sama cares deeply for every shinobi under his command. If it was his choice, _Sandaime-sama himself_ would be our back up."

"I wouldn't doubt it." The Hyūga took a deep breath. "Your Genin mentioned that you fought Zabuza, the Demon of the Hidden Mist."

"We did. My team surprised me when they rescued me from Zabuza's Water Prison. And for the next question, Zabuza is still alive. He was rescued by a false Hunter-nin. As long as his accomplice isn't a medic-nin, he'll be out of commission for a week."

Kō accepted the more experienced ninja's explanation. "How long will you be out of commission?"

"Around a week. Unless you brought soldier pills."

"I'm afraid I did not. I haven't used them in years. According to the medics, I am allergic to some of the ingredients."

"Well shit. Looks like we'll have to recover naturally. Kō-san, I have a request."

Kō leaned against the wall. "What is this request, Kakashi-sempai?"

"My Genin need more training. I've drilled how to move and fight like shinobi and not martial artists into them while we were in Konoha. They'll need something that will help them survive the next battle."

The Hyūga closed his eyes as he thought. "New Jutsu is the first thing that springs to mind. However, even as talented as they undoubtedly are; they couldn't learn one in a week without being so exhausted from training that they'd be incapable of fighting a fresh Academy student much less a Swordsman of the Mist."

Kakashi grunted. "I agree. Wait, chakra control! The Hyūga are famous for their chakra control. Do you have an exercise that could help them?"

"Tree climbing would have the fastest return on investment."

"If you could give my team a crash course in chakra control I'd be grateful." Kakashi said softly. "I'm still exhausted from overusing my Sharingan. If you need anything else, talk to Tsunami or Tazuna."

"I'll keep an eye on your team until you recover." Kō promised as he left the room. As he walked down the stairs, he saw a small boy glare at him from a darkened room. The boy slammed the door before Kō could say anything.

Sasuke and Shino were resting, but not asleep. Shino turned his attention towards the fresh Jonin. "Did Kakashi-sensei leave any instructions for us?"

"Yes, we are going to train tomorrow. I want you all rested. Get some sleep." Kō made use of what Naruto referred to as his 'Authority Figure Voice'. He was pleased to see that it worked just as well on Sasuke and Shino as it did on his hyperactive little brother.

The diversion was needed. It helped keep the dark thoughts of the threat lurking in the mist from consuming him.

* * *

Hinata kept her perfect posture and appeared perfectly attentive. She was already aware of the monthly financial statements. As Hisao and Akihito debated some minutiae about the budget, Hinata thought back to the moment in the garden. The night had been wonderful. No, the day had been wonderful. The night _should_ have been magical. Hinata fought the urge to sigh. They had been so close!

The heiress shifted her attention as the argument over the stipend for the Clan's wet-nurses ended. Hisao began reading a report on the success rate of missions. Hinata did not focus on the details because she would likely read the report itself tomorrow while working with father.

_Missions_. Akihito asked Hinata about Team Four's performance. Hinata answered the question politely, but her focus was elsewhere.

"As you can see, my daughter and her team have accomplished a great deal in their short time together. I assure you that Hinata-sama and Clan Ward Uzumaki will continue to be a source of pride for the Hyūga Clan." Hinata smiled as her father praised her. She was thankful that he supported Naruto-kun as well.

_You've always been strong…_ Naruto's words rang in her mind. He possessed the ability to say the right words right when she needed to hear them. Hinata could recall all the times Naruto had supporter her. Sometimes, he would loudly cheer her by shouting 'Kick their ass, Hinata-chan!' Other times, he would simply stand off to the side and flash a warm smile. That smile had saved her. Hinata had retreated so deeply into herself after Hiromi's death. Naruto had dragged her back to life. The blond boy was such a fixture in her life that it was little surprise she had absorbed some of his boundless confidence.

Hinata sometimes found it hard to believe how far she had come from the nervous Academy student who stuttered at the slightest attention. Now, she was almost a completely different person. Hinata had told off a future member of the Clan Council without hesitation. The confidence had flowed so easily because she knew Naruto-kun, her uncle and otou-san would always respect and support her.

* * *

Wantanabe Yuji smiled as he tucked in his son. He leaned back on the chair where moments ago he had read Takao's favorite story. As he watched his boy sleep, Yuji's thoughts returned to his Genin team. They were strong willed, talented and above all loyal to each other. They were also someone's sons and daughter. Were they ready? True, a C-rank mission was unlikely to be truly dangerous for a trained shinobi. In fact, Yuji had undertaken multiple solo C-ranks himself. _His _Genin were not experienced shinobi. It was even worse that Team Four were the children, regardless of birth or adoption, of some of his closest friends. Wantanabe would have concerns sending his own children on a C-rank with a rookie Jonin instructor. How could Hiashi-sama, Tsume-sensei and Kō _not_ have their own doubts?

The former hunter-nin shook off his internal debate. He would not give his beloved children ill dreams because of his own sour mood. Wantanabe kissed Takao on the forehead. The two year old smiled and gripped his stuffed deer tighter.

"Dream grandly."

Suzu was already in the bed when Wantanabe entered their bedroom. "I haven't seen you this tense since the dinner where you proposed."

"You know how I get when faced with momentous life changing decisions." Yuji smiled at the memory of his fumbling for the engagement ring.

"Oh yes. I remember how you nearly dropped the ring in my lap." Suzu joined her husband in smiling at the memory. "I also recall you agonizing over Hokage-sama's request for you to take a Genin team."

"That's partially what I've been thinking about. Kakashi-sempai and Team Seven received a C-rank Mission." Yuji mentioned as he entered the bathroom.

Suzu rolled onto her side. "Let me guess; Naruto-kun and Tsume-sama's boy have been bugging you about getting a C-rank as well."

The sound of running water answered Suzu initially. "This might scare you, but they haven't. Team Four has been incredibly mature about it. I think they trust my judgment."

"They don't just trust your judgment, babe. Your Genin _respect_ it." She paused. "Something else is adding to your apprehension."

Yuji didn't respond for a while. "Kakashi-sempai told me in ANBU sign that he doubted the accuracy of the Mission ranking. I delivered the information to Hokage-sama and the Sandaime agreed. He deployed an additional Jonin in support of Kakashi-sempai."

"Oh." Suzu could see how that would worry her husband. "Not every C-rank will be misleading like that. Besides, I think you're asking yourself the wrong question."

Yuji slipped into the bed and wrapped his arms around his wife. "And what question should I be asking?"

"Are you worried concerned about your Genins' ability as Shinobi or your own abilities as a teacher?"

There was silence. "I look at them and I see Takao and Asami."

"Yuji-kun, I understand, I really do. You were really deep into ANBU for the past few years. I know you are making up for lost time with our children. But you are losing sight of a simple fact: Naruto-kun, Kiba-kun and Hinata-sama are not your children. They are your subordinates. Have faith in them."

"You should be the Jonin instructor, not me. I spent too much time in ANBU."

Suzu nuzzled her husband. "Why do you think it took Kakashi-san so much time to pass a team?"

_Obito_. Yuji thought glumly. "Thank you, my love."

Wantanabe finally settled his thoughts and drifted off to sleep. He slept peacefully and woke up ten minutes before his alarm. After a quick breakfast, he headed to Training Ground Sixteen. Yuji-sensei heard his team talking excitedly.

"Hinata, you're joking right? There is no way your Clan's Council would allow a Branch Member to join them." Kiba spoke with incredulity dripping from his voice.

"There are multiple traditions for becoming a member of the Clan Council. Many have fallen out of favor due to fear of a single bloc taking control of the Clan. They haven't been banned, but are unpopular." Yuji was pleased to see his team warming up as they conversed.

Naruto jumped up and down a few times. "I can't believe Hideko would nominate a Branch Member to take his seat on the Council. Didn't he always complain that Hiashi-sama 'was moving too quickly'?"

"Hideko-sama was opposed to father's positions. This caught everyone off guard."

Yuji took this opportunity to appear behind Kiba. "Like I just did with all of you?"

Akamaru yelped and Kiba spun around with a 'gak!' "Good morning, Yuji-sensei!" Naruto said with a smile.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun." The Jonin instructor smiled at his charges. "Good morning as well, Kiba-kun and Hinata-chan."

"Good morning Wantanabe-sensei." The rest of Team Four said warmly.

"I'm glad you have spent your time wisely. Today, we are going to work on coordination. An experienced Shinobi cell can move as a single body. The best teams know what their comrades are going to do instantly. Follow me and we'll get started."

Yuji coached Kiba, Hinata, Naruto and even Akamaru on how to read body language. Team Four spent nearly an hour and a half learning the habits and reactions of each other. Wantanabe had to remind his team that true understanding of coordination only came after repeated missions.

"Team Four, follow me. Let's go to the Hokage Tower to receive a mission." Akamaru barked and performed a spinning jump that caused Wantanabe to laugh.

The Mission Office was a hub of activity. Teams Ten and Four exchanged greetings. Well, everyone but Shikamaru, who merely muttered 'troublesome' under his breath.

Yuji stepped in front of his Genin and bowed to the Sandaime. "Team Four reporting for a mission assignment, sir."

"Ah, I was wondering when you would arrive. I have a number of available missions. A farmer needs assistance with harvesting his eggs, several civilian houses need maintenance…"

Wantanabe Yuji took a deep breath. "Forgive the interruption, Hokage-sama, but I believe Team Four is ready for a C-rank mission."

The Sandaime relit his pipe and took a deep drag. "Are you certain, Wantanabe-san?"

The Jonin nodded. "I have complete faith in my Genin, sir."

Hiruzen Sarutobi flipped through a pile of mission requests. The Professor finally settled on a mission. "A merchant caravan has requested an shinobi escort as they return to the Land of Honey. The merchants have commissioned this assignment because of a number of suspected bandit attacks near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Honey."

"On behalf of Team Four I accept the assignment, Hokage-sama." The Jonin's solemn tone was completely at odds with the jubilation of his charges.

Despite his earlier reservations, he smiled along with his team.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Plot Advancement no jutsu! So, Kō has caught up to Team Seven while Naruto, Hinata and Team Four are about ready for their own C-rank mission.

Please continue the awesome review response! Oh, and please send the lynch mobs after Yoshinori and **not** me!


	13. Chapter 13

Team Four had exploded from the Hokage's office as soon as the words 'you are dismissed' escaped the Sandaime's mouth. Kiba and Akamaru were leaping and shouting in excitement as they rushed down the stairs as Hinata and Naruto shared a warm smile. The Inuzuka and his nin-ken partner were in the process of saying goodbye when cries of 'It's Kiba-kun' filled the air. Naruto laughed as Kiba grabbed Akamaru and ran for his life. A knot of civilian girls appeared and looked excitedly around. Naruto was still doubled over laughing and didn't see a few of the civilians cast approving glances at him. He also didn't notice Hinata cast the famous 'Hyūga Ice Glare'. The civilians were off and running by the time Naruto got his laughter under control.

"Ah man, sucks to be Kiba." Naruto chuckled a bit.

"I thought most guys would like to have a ton of girls chasing after them."

Naruto wrapped Hinata into an embrace. "Most guys aren't lucky enough to have _you_."

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata's reply was barely a whisper. Once again, Naruto knew exactly what to say.

"Neh, Hinata-chan, I know we have to get ready for our mission, but I've been thinking…" Naruto's voice trailed off. He had been thinking. A lot.

Hinata couldn't resist and wrapped her arms around Naruto's waist. "About what, Naruto-kun?" She had also been thinking. A lot.

"The clients' caravan doesn't leave until the morning. Do… do you want to go _out_ tonight? I know it's kinda sudden, but we won't be back for a while 'cause of the mission."

"I'd love to." She answered happily. The pair had completely forgotten they were standing in the doorway to the Hokage's Tower.

"Oi! You two! Make out on your own time!" The two Genin leapt apart in nervous shock as a Chunnin they didn't recognize walked past them.

Naruto's smile hid his tinge of embarrassment. "So, uh, where do you want to go?"

"Ano, we could go to that new bistro near the Academy. Neji-niisan says it is very nice. He goes there with Tenten after missions."

The Jinchūriki snapped his fingers. "That'll work! I know it's not like a real date, but it'll work since I kinda just sprang this on you two seconds ago." Naruto smiled. "If that's ok? I mean, when we get back, I can set up a real date, at a place that needs reservations and everything!"

"Tonight will be wonderful, Naruto-kun. _But…_ I'll probably hold you to that 'real' date."

Naruto looked at the clock at the desk. "It's not even noon yet. That'll give us plenty of time to get packed and ready."

"Translation, it'll give _me_ plenty of time to get ready." Hinata smiled.

Naruto put his hands behind his head. "Yeah, Hanabi-neechan mentioned how panicked you were for the festival. So, what time do you want me to pick you up?"

"I'll need to let father know… I'd say five will be fine."

The couple gave each other a quick hug. "I'll see you then, Hinata-chan."

The two parted ways. Naruto watched as Hinata headed towards the Hyūga Compound for a bit. He finally let his excitement overtake him. Naruto leapt in the air and shouted a wordless cry of joy.

"A date with Hinata-chan tonight and a C-rank tomorrow! Hell yes!" The blond said after he landed.

* * *

Team Seven followed closely behind the Hyūga Jonin. They had all left after a quick breakfast and walked to a grove of trees. Kakashi's students had very different reactions to Kō's training location. Shino simply sat passively. Sakura looked around the misty grove with a smile. Uchiha Sasuke didn't _quite_ glare at the Hyūga.

"I have spoken with Kakashi-sempai and we have agreed that you all will need additional training for the upcoming battle with Zabuza. You are all talented shinobi; that is evident by your survival against a Swordsman of the Mist, but Zabuza will know not to underestimate you again."

Kō watched as Hinata-sama's rival raised her hand. "Hyūga-sensei, what kind of training are we going to do?"

"Chakra control. You are going to climb trees by channeling your chakra through your feet. "Before you ask, this is the most effective way to strengthen you quickly without exhausting you to the point of uselessness. Watch carefully."

The Jonin turned and walked up the tree and out onto a branch. He hung upside down like a bat and smiled at the Genin. "Good luck."

Surprisingly, Shino was the first to attempt the exercise. Kō released his chakra and fell towards the ground. He twisted in midair and landed in a crouch just as Shino lost control of his charka.

"Wow! Good job, Shino-san!" Sakura cheered as she walked up to the tree. Shino nodded and stood next to Sasuke.

"I bet she makes it to the top in one try." Sasuke wore a confident smirk.

Shino stood impassively next to his teammate. "I would not take that bet, Sasuke-san. Why? Our teammate has incredible chakra control and will undoubtedly complete this exercise before both of us."

Haruno Sakura quickly proved her teammates correct and made it to the top of the tree. The pink haired ninja sat on a branch and tried to catch her breath. "How was that, Hyūga-sensei?"

Kō smiled at the girl's accomplishment. Sakura made have been Hinata-sama's rival, but it was hard to be angry at someone who had just accomplished something rather amazing. "Excellent work, Sakura-san. You have chakra control that many medic-nins would be jealous of. I will speak to Kakashi-sempai about improving your chakra endurance after the mission."

The Last Uchiha gave his first attempt and made it nearly six feet up the tree before falling down. Sasuke rose from the ground. "I'll get it this time."

"Don't overexert yourself. Remember, Zabuza is still out there. Your focus needs to be improving as much as you can before we battle the nuke-nin again." Kō easily summoned his Authority Figure Voice.

Sakura swung her legs back and forth on her branch. "I'll be sure to help keep them straight, Hyūga-sensei!"

Kō smirked. "Why are you two sitting around? Zabuza won't politely wait for you to complete this exercise before he attacks!"

Shino and Sasuke nodded and resumed their exercises. Kō had given them a goal, hope and something to focus on. He prayed that would be enough.

* * *

Takeshi paced like a caged animal. His plans to purify the Hyūga Clan were coming down around his ears. Everything had been proceeding smoothly. Yoshinori had been elevated to the Council. This was to be expected, Yoshinori was Takeshi's senior by several months. Yoshinori was also a very successful business man that could react quickly to changing economic situations. He had brought great wealth and prestige to the Clan. Unfortunately, his viewpoint was colored by the necessity to act quickly to maximize profit. Yoshinori saw everything in terms of numbers and urgency. Takeshi should have put him on a tighter leash. The fool had nearly ruined everything. Takeshi was upset by a Cadet Family being elevated to the Council.

But, it was a temporary difficulty.

No, Yoshinori's interference with the plans regarding Hinata was the true catastrophe. The original plan had been a long term conspiracy. Takeshi had trouble believing that Yoshi would act so rashly and foolishly. His ham-fisted attempt to interfere with Hinata's relationship with the Kyūbi container had backfired spectacularly. Takeshi snorted because he knew that would happen. This _interference_ would only strengthen their budding relationship. Worse, Hiashi was now speaking openly of how much he approved of Uzumaki courting his daughter.

"Damn that accountant." Takeshi hissed as he poured a drink. His original plan was beautifully subtle. There was to be no overt moves against the couple. He had originally hoped that Uzumaki would view Hinata as a sibling like he did with Hanabi and Neji. Somehow, the bastard Clan Ward had defied those odds and developed an almost _longing_ affection for the heiress. The feeling was a terrible mockery of Takeshi's love for the late Hiromi-sama. Fate seemed to enjoy tormenting him, because unlike Hiromi, Hinata openly and completely returned the affections of the Uzumaki child.

It took all his will not to cry out due to the deep emotional wounds seeing them so happy reopened. The Hyūga conspirator knelt into a meditative position and calmed himself. It took a few minutes, but eventually he restored his emotional balance.

_I can salvage this_. The coming year would be a time of incredible turnover on the Hyūga Clan Council. He was still the next name on the Register. Takeshi _would_ be on the Clan Council! There would need to be some… rearrangement of the Register in order to ensure the anti-Hiashi faction achieved a majority. However, with Takeshi and Yoshinori's resources, this was a minor concern. Yes, once Takeshi and Yoshinori had a secure bloc on the Council they could proceed with the original plan. The first step would be to limit the power of Hiashi by any means. If he remained popular with the majority of the Clan, it would be impossible to carry out the second and third stages.

Stage two was the removal of Uzumaki Naruto as an obstacle. They could not kill him. In fact, killing him would be a folly of unimaginable proportions. One, he was actually a very talented shinobi and a powerful asset to the village. Takeshi would never do anything to harm Konoha. Second, and most importantly, killing him could possibly undo the Yondaime's Seal. Takeshi, unlike Yoshinori, had complete faith in the power of the Yondaime. The Hyūga took another deep breath and returned to his original plotting. It would not do to have his mind a jumbled heap of thought. Third, he was a valuable political asset. If the anti-Hiashi faction could somehow marry the Uzumaki to one of the daughters of a minor clan, it would garner a useful ally.

It would also clear the way for the final stage; marry the heiress off to Takeshi's nephew Yuudai. It was not a cruel match. Yuudai actually pined for the heiress. Granted, many individuals pined for the Hyūga heiress. Hinata was truly becoming a woman worthy of marriage.

Takeshi sighed as his mind returned to the original problem. Yoshinori had acted far too soon. He had angered and emboldened the heiress. Her speech still rang in his ears.

"_August Councilors, I wish to speak on behalf of the nomination of Minoru to the Clan Council." The heiress paused and received permission. "The nomination of Minoru, son of Hideko-sama, is a chance for a new dawn for the Hy__ū__ga Clan. As heiress, I fully support the nomination. Hideko-sama is well within his rights according to Clan Law to name his successor. Hiashi-sama, my _father_, is well within his rights as __leader of the Clan_, _to take the nomination under advisement. I applaud his wisdom in upholding the nomination. The time has come for the voice of the Branch House to be heard. Are we not all full blood Hy__ū__ga? How is it that a majority of our Clan, our family, can have no say in the governance of the Hy__ū__ga? We allow our esteemed Clan Ward, Uzumaki Naruto, the right of speech before this August Body. The Council has rightly praised Uzumaki-san for his wondrous achievements and the honor which he has brought to the Hy__ūg__a. How can we not extend the same right to _our own blood?_"_

It had been stirring. Hinata had spoken with steel and a confidence she had never possessed before. Takeshi felt no shame in admitting she had finally acted in a manner befitting her station. It was a tragedy her views were so radical that they would destroy the clan. Her sudden confidence was quickly erasing the doubts that lingered about her fitness to lead the Clan. A final breath restored his resolve and Takeshi rose to his feet; his drink forgotten.

There was a great deal of work to do.

* * *

Naruto rummaged through his closet looking for something to wear tonight. He had already chosen a pair of khaki slacks. Now, he was debating what was needed to complete his ensemble. Naruto sat on the edge of his bed in his training gear finishing a cup of instant ramen. A wicked grin appeared on his face.

"AHA! No one is here to stop me from wearing some orange!" Naruto leapt from the bed and grabbed an orange, long sleeved collared shirt and a blue sweater vest. It had been a battle to convince Kō to let him have that shirt. The memory of the argument was fuzzy, but Naruto thought he remembered Kō using the Heavenly spin.

Naruto cast a quick glance at his clock. _I've got time!_ He hurried getting ready. The years of social training the Hyūga pounded into his skull came racing back. Naruto finished with the buttons on his wrists and grinned.

"I can't wait to see Hinata-chan's reaction!"

* * *

Yamanaka Ino was very bored. Team Ten had completed a bit of training and a pitiful D-rank mission. She had hoped that working in her family's flower shop would make things interesting. Unfortunately, no really good gossip had shown up yet. She leaned against the counter and sighed. The door chime sounded and Ino looked up in surprise.

"Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop."

"Hey Ino!"

Ino perked up. "Oh, hi Naruto! What are you here for?"

The Hyūga Clan Ward chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I need some flowers. Hinata-chan and I have a semi-date before we leave on our C-Rank tomorrow morning."

_Wow, he cleans up nice. Too bad Sasuke-kun never dresses like that._ "Semi-date? C-Rank?"

"Yeah, I kinda sprang it on Hinata-chan this morning after we got the mission. We aren't sure how long it'll be until we can just hang out again. Oh, yeah, C-rank. We're escorting a merchant caravan to the Land of Honey."

"That's sweet." Ino inwardly grumbled that Team Ten hadn't gotten a C-Rank yet. "So, what flowers do you want? Maybe some Cactus flowers?"

Ino cackled as Naruto paled and took a step backwards. "DO YOU WANT NEJI-NIISAN AND HIASHI-SAMA TO MURDER ME?"

"Calm down, Naruto! It was a joke." Ino's laugh fell from a cackle to a chuckle as Naruto relaxed.

"I, uh, was thinking white and pink roses." Naruto said sheepishly. Ino tapped her fingers against her chin.

"Excellent choice. Hinata's favorite color is lavender… I'll throw in a few lavender roses. No harm in reminding her it was love at first sight, eh Naruto?"

Naruto nodded and grinned. "Brilliant! Glad to know that my fellow blond has my back."

Ino laughed as she flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. "Of course! Us super attractive people have to stick together, you know! I want details when Team Four gets back from your mission!"

"Sure thing, Ino." Naruto said as he paid for the flowers. _Thank the Yondaime I'm going on a C-rank…_

Ino handed over the bouquet. Naruto was halfway to the door when Ino called out to him. "Tell Hinata-chan I said hi! Have fun tonight!"

"Thanks Ino!" Naruto waved with his free hand and exited the shop. The citizens of Konoha were staring. Naruto noticed the glances weren't the usual nervous distrust. A few were actually shocked approval. He rounded a corner and heard some civilian girls whisper that they already hated whoever 'landed' Naruto.

"Naruto!" A voice called out causing Naruto to smile.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto shifted the very expensive bouquet as he waved.

The teacher walked beside his former student. "So, where are you taking Hinata-sama?"

"Is it that obvious?" Naruto chuckled.

"Let's put it this way, the instructors had a pool going after your infamous tracking exam to see how long it would take you two to start dating."

The blond wasn't sure whether or not to be offended. "I hope you won."

"I did, actually. Thanks Naruto." Iruka smiled. He genuinely liked the boy. At first, he believed the Fox had influence over him and was slowly corrupting the Hyūga. However, the boy was so infectiously happy and cared so deeply for his friends and family that all doubt was washed away.

"Awesome!" Naruto flashed his now infamous grin. "Hinata-chan and I are going to that new bistro by the Academy. Neji-niisan says it's really good."

Iruka chuckled. "It is. I recommend their coffee."

"I like coffee, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. The caravan my team and I are escorting leaves pretty early in the morning." Naruto had divided his focus between his conversation with Iruka and the hope Hinata would like the flowers. Thus, he missed Iruka's shocked expression.

"That means a C-rank! Naruto, I have faith in your team, but are you sure you are ready?"

Naruto continued to smile. "Yuji-sensei believes we are ready."

"I'll admit I'm surprised you and Kiba did not pester your Jonin instructor for a C-rank."

Naruto's pace quickened when he saw the Hyūga Compound in the distance. He was going to be a few minutes early, but the Compound was his second home. "Team Four respects Yuji-sensei's judgment, Iruka-sensei."

The scarred teacher could practically feel the joy radiating off Naruto as the Hyūga Clan Complex came into view. "Naruto."

"Yes, Iruka-sensei?"

"I just wanted to say that I was proud to be your teacher. Enjoy tonight and stand with your teammates on your mission. I know you will make Konoha proud."

Iruka's words filled Naruto with pride. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei."

The teacher shook his head and laughed as Naruto tried to bow without dropping the flowers. "Good night, Naruto."

Passersby would never have noticed the greeting the Hyūga guards gave Naruto. The young Genin, who had been raised with Hyūga, recognized the subtle message the pair sent him.

_Nice work, kid_.

Naruto responded with a surprisingly subtle gesture of his own. _Thanks. I hope Hinata-chan will like them._

Naruto made it three steps into the Compound when he was ambushed by Hanabi.

"You're early." Hanabi said with a smirk.

"Yeah." Naruto said idly. "What, I can't visit people who are practically family?"

Hanabi was trying to look behind Naruto's back. "What did you get onee-chan?"

"Flowers."

Hanabi feinted in one direction and spun around Naruto. She gasped when she saw the roses. Naruto was shouting after the running Hanabi not to ruin the surprise. A moment later, Naruto heard Hanabi squeal from somewhere in the compound.

"Onee-chan! You're boyfriend is **awesome!**"

* * *

Sasuke pushed through Tazuna's door and flopped on the closest piece of furniture. Kakashi was still recovering but had managed to come downstairs to ask about the Tree Climbing. However, it was currently late in the evening. Tazuna, the bridge builder's daughter and grandson were all asleep. Shino was asleep and Sakura was on watch. The last Uchiha sometimes wondered why the Hokage and Iruka-sensei had placed Sakura on Team Seven. Sakura possessed an instinctive talent for genjutsu. Yūhi Kurenai would have been able to refine the pinkette's natural talents. But Sakura was on Team Seven and Sasuke wasn't about to complain.

"There is no need to tire yourself out, Sasuke."

The Last Uchiha looked over to where Hyūga Kō was exiting the kitchen. "I have to get stronger. If I fail here, I will never achieve my ambitions."

Kō sat on the couch across from Sasuke. "I understand Sasuke, but do not let yourself be consumed by your ambitions. Gaining strength to achieve a goal is admirable. You must be wary and make sure that you do not begin to seek power for the sake of gaining power."

"I must avenge my clan." Sasuke said as he leaned back on the arm of the chair.

"I can understand that. You were robbed of family, but do you not also have a duty to rebuild the Uchiha?"

"I can't rebuild the Clan, not yet. The Traitor is still out there. As long as he lives, there can be no rebirth for the Uchiha."

Kō arced an eyebrow. "Itachi is a threat, yes, but you can rebuild you clan even if he is still alive."

"Don't mention that name!" Sasuke growled before sliding back down the arm. "As long as he is out there, everything that I do, can, will or could love is in danger. You do not know _that man_ like I do. He never gives up. He never leaves anything unfinished. His every action is aimed to be as close to perfection as a human being can manage. If I rebuild the Clan while _that man_ lives, he will return to finish what he started on that night of hell."

The Hyūga Jonin noticed several emotions racing through the boy in front of him. He firmly believed that Itachi would return and destroy any of Sasuke's attempts to rebuild the Uchiha.

Kō was struck by one simple fact above all others. Sasuke still had an unbreakable, if twisted, admiration for his brother.

* * *

Naruto had not added anything to the 'Weird Hyūga Girl Stuff Hinata does' folder in the back of his mind since the Academy. Tonight had finally given him a new entry. Hinata had reacted like he expected when she saw the roses. She had blushed up a storm and taken them to her room. Naruto waited patiently for her to return while telling Hiashi-sama _exactly _where they were going and _exactly_ when they would be back. The couple had left hand-in-hand and talked about how excited they were about the C-rank mission.

Hinata had suddenly grabbed onto Naruto's arm as if it would prevent her from drowning. Naruto wasn't sure of the reason _why_ but he certainly wasn't going to complain. Then, Hinata rested her head against his shoulder.

All coherent thought pretty much fled at this point.

"Naruto-kun, do you think our mission will be mislabeled like Team Seven's?"

Hinata's voice restarted the gears in the Uzumaki's head." We'll be fine, Hinata-chan. I think what happened to Sasuke and the others was a freak occurrence."

The two reached the café and were greeted by a waiter who led them to a seat by the window. Hinata did not enjoy flaunting her status as a Hyūga, but there were times it was definitely an advantage. The table she and Naruto were given had a beautiful view of the gardens at the edge of the park.

The waitress returned and Naruto and Hinata ordered their food. Each sat in comfortable silence. They savored the calm before their first C-rank mission. Suddenly, Naruto's face was split by a goofy grin.

"You know, I'm going to have to eventually create a whole new language for our dates."

Hinata sipped at her water for a second. "What do you mean, Naruto-kun?"

"I'm probably going to run out of words to tell you how good you look." Naruto smiled as he got another look at Hinata. She was wearing a simple lavender dress and a small white sweater jacket. It was taken all of Naruto's self-control, manners lessons with Kō-niisan and his undying fear of Hiashi-sama's wrath not to drool at the glorious image in front of him.

The Hyūga heiress blushed. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

"I ran into Tokuma-san on my way to the training field. He told me about your speech. I wish I had been there. You keep finding new ways to make me proud of you." Naruto reached across and gave Hinata's hand a squeeze.

A waitress politely brought out the food. The young woman smiled at the couple. As she walked away, she winked at Hinata; who promptly blushed. Naruto and Hinata ate the meal and simply enjoyed being so close to each other.

"Iruka-sensei and Neji-niisan weren't kidding. This place is almost as good as Ichiraku." Naruto said as he leaned back in his chair.

Hinata maintained impeccable table manners. "The food was excellent. I will definitely have to recommend this restaurant to the Clan."

The Clan Ward and the Heiress erupted into laughter when they heard the owner shout out in unbridled joy. Naruto paid for the meal and tipped their server in spite of Hinata's protests that Naruto had spent enough already.

"Hey, Hinata-chan. We've got a bit before we have to make a mad dash back to the Compound. Want to walk through the park?"

The response was not verbal. Instead, Hinata happily took the offered hand. The pair walked through the garden and talked about the flowers. Naruto revealed that he was hoping to start a garden soon. He hadn't purchased or planted anything yet because he was saving up for a system he saw in Ino's flower shop.

"It self-waters. There is a large water bladder inside the pot and it somehow waters the plants at a regular interval. We'll be going on a lot of missions and it would suck if I came back and my plants were all dead."

Hinata giggled and leaned forward and smelled one of the roses. She was enjoying tonight. Granted, she enjoyed every single moment she spent with Naruto. Tonight was special because it was _their_ night Hinata was thankful that her family or their friends weren't with them tonight. She had also loved the Festival, but the crowds had prevented moments like this. Hinata admitted to herself she liked what Naruto was wearing tonight more than his formal outfit. Naruto had so much natural energy that formal clothes seemed out of character for him.

"Hey Hinata." Naruto whispered.

The heiress spun around. "Yes, Na…" She never got a chance to finish asking her question. In all of her dreams about this moment, Hinata threw her arms around Naruto and gave Naruto every bit of passion she possessed. The moment passed all too quickly, but being wrapped in Naruto's arms was a welcome consolation.

"Yoshinori's not around."

Now, Hinata responded as she did in her dreams.

* * *

The sun was rising over Konohagakure and the Hidden Village was awakening. Several citizens, however, were very much awake.

Kiba and Akamaru were bolting through the streets as the city came to life. This was one of the moments the Shinobi and Nin-ken had dreamed of their entire lives. It was their first _real_ mission! Kiba had slept well. His mother and sister had been shocked when they came into the kitchen in time to see Kiba putting up his dishes and bolting through the door. Akamaru trotted alongside his human partner. The dog barked a few times.

Kiba flashed a toothy grin at the white puppy. "I'm excited too, buddy."

Another Genin was heading for the North Gate from a different direction. The young woman was not running so much as gliding. Hinata was still in the midst of a fierce internal debate that the past day had not been some wonderful dream. Wantanabe-sensei said they were ready for a C-rank mission. This morning, her father had assembled the Hyūga Clan Council and praised Hinata. It all paled in comparison to last night.

_Naruto-kun kissed me!_

Uzumaki Naruto was already waiting at the North Gates. He had never needed to sleep as much as most people. This was fortunate because sleep did not come easily last night. Naruto couldn't believe that he was here at this moment. A few hours ago, he _kissed_ Hinata. Occasionally, he would ask himself if he was really that lucky. Then, he would look around in expectation of Hiashi-sama and Neji-niisan appearing to demolish him.

_So far, I'm still alive_.

The other obstacle to a full night's sleep had been the excitement of today's mission. Naruto was finally getting the opportunity to see the wider world. Konoha's walls had been the boundaries of Naruto's existence. He, and his Team, had _earned_ their C-rank mission. Naruto was leaning up against the great walls of the Hidden Village when Wantanabe-sensei arrived.

"Good morning, Yuji-sensei."

The Jonin was wearing the traditional Jonin uniform, but had his quiver and bow. "Good morning, Naruto-kun. I'm surprised that Hinata-chan isn't the first one to arrive."

"Couldn't sleep, too excited." Naruto chuckled.

Yuji nodded and stood next to the blond boy. Moments later, Hinata rounded the corner and jogged over to the two Shinobi.

"Good morning, Wantanabe-sensei. Naruto-kun!" Hinata bowed to her Jonin Instructor before being enveloped in a hug from Naruto.

Wantanabe Yuji smiled. "Naruto-kun, Hinata-chan. I am happy for the two of you. However…"

Naruto and Hinata recognized the tone of their commanding officer and broke the hug. "However, I expect you to put aside your personal relationship during our mission. The second we leave the walls; you are _not_ a happy couple. Once we are past the walls, you are Shinobi under my _command_ and I demand professionalism. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir!" The pair replied crisply.

"Good." Wantanabe looked past Naruto and Hinata and saw Akamaru and Kiba approaching. "Good morning Kiba-kun and Akamaru."

"Morning, Wantanabe-sensei." Kiba threw his arms around his teammates' shoulders. "Ready to kick some ass you two?"

Naruto smirked. "We're ninja. We wake up ready to kick ass!"

"Damn straight!" Kiba laughed.

"Team Four, there are a few things we need to talk about before we depart."

The Genin quickly focused their attention. Yuji continued to wear a serious expression. "Let me see your packs. I will make sure you are adequately prepared for the mission."

Wantanabe inspected each of his Genin's packs. The Jonin grinned. "All of your packs are in order. Kiba-kun, I would like to know why you have soldier pills."

"A few of my Clan's techniques require soldier pills. Besides, you never know when a few might come in handy during an emergency."

"Very well." Yuji gave the packs back to their owners. "Hinata-chan, I suggest that you wear your hitai-ate on your forehead. The Land of Honey has close ties with Kumogakure. It will be safer if you are believed to be a member of the Branch Family."

Hinata trembled slightly at the mention of the Hidden Cloud Village. They coveted the Byakugan and had made one attempt to seize it already. If Kumo knew she was in one of their client states, they would make another attempt to seize her. She cast a quick glance at Naruto and immediately felt a little better. He was with her. She believed that as long as she had Naruto with her that she could take on the world. Hinata also knew that Kiba-kun and Yuji-sensei would be there as well. _I have to believe in myself and my team._

Naruto felt Hinata tense and struggled to suppress his anger. Kumo would never lay a finger on Hinata-chan. Naruto knew Hinata was a strong ninja but every part of his mind screamed out the need to protect her. If he had to stand against the Raikage himself for Hinata's sake, Naruto would do it.

Kiba was having a similar, if not as intense, reaction to Hinata's nervousness. Hinata was the sister Kiba wished he had. More than that, she was a member of his pack. The Inuzuka clan held the virtue of loyalty above all others. He would fight for his team even if Naruto and Hinata weren't members. Kiba swore he would fight even harder because those two were his best friends.

Wantanabe watched the emotions play across his subordinates' faces. _The Will of Fire._ He thought with pride.

The merchants arrived a few minutes later. A rotund man wearing fine burgundy robes waddled towards the Shinobi.

"Ah! Good morning! Your punctuality is impressive!"

The Genin bowed and Yuji politely nodded. "Good Morning Takumi-san. I am Wantanabe Yuji, Jonin of Konoha. May I present Team Four."

"Hyūga Hinata." Takumi looked shock and whispered 'Hyūga' under his breath.

"I'm Inuzuka Kiba and this is my partner, Akamaru!" The dog barked a greeting. Once again, the merchant was impressed. Two of the Shinobi escorting his Caravan were from prominent clans. They were only Genin, but Takumi would leave that detail out when bragging of the quality of shinobi he hired to potential customers.

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

Takumi did a double take. "Uzumaki? As in the former rulers of Uzugakure?" It was rumored that Iwa and Kumo had completely wiped out the Uzumaki. The entire Clan had seemingly vanished into the mists of history. Takumi could not believe his luck. He only needed a basic escort, but had earned something far greater. Prestige. His customers would no doubt be impressed by his wares now. He had members of three powerful shinobi clans protecting his convoy. He would likely never have to spend another cent on advertising for a year. Once word filtered out about the caliber of Shinobi he hired! It was enough to make Takumi run to the nearest temple.

Naruto couldn't believe what the client had just told him. The Uzumaki had been rulers of a Hidden Village. Uzugakure… He had read about that village once when studying for a test on one of the Shinobi World Wars. Iwa and Kumo had attacked the village because the Hidden Village in the Whirlpools were the masters of sealing.

_I don't believe it. How did I never make that connection?_

"Now that introductions are out of the way, Takumi-san, shall we depart? We would not want you to be forced to have to alter your timetables."

The merchant adjusted his expensive hat. "Yes, yes!"

Kiba walked beside his teammates. "Did you see how he reacted to us?"

"I did, Kiba-kun. He seemed to be very impressed by all of us." Hinata said with a smile.

Naruto crossed his arms. "If he's impressed now, wait till he sees us in action!"

* * *

Hyūga Yuudai slid the door to his uncle's study open. The young Chunnin was exhausted as he had just returned from an extended mission to patrol the border with Grass Country. Yuudai stood in front of Takeshi's desk as his uncle finished signing a paper.

"Yuudai." Takeshi said without looking up.

"Uncle, you needed to urgently speak with me."

The conspirator motioned for the Chunnin to sit. Yuudai took the offered chair. "My nephew, I have a proposition for you."

"I am listening, Uncle."

Takeshi interlocked his fingers. "Hiashi is leading our clan to ruin. He is giving the Cadets far too much leeway. I fear they will rise up against us."

"It is a very real possibility." Yuudai responded carefully.

"Indeed. Those of us who honor and value the proud traditions of our Clan are growing in strength. Our bloc will soon be the dominant voice on the Clan Council."

The Hyūga Chunnin tugged at his Flak Jacket. "I do not dispute that this is a victory for us. Unfortunately, Hiashi-sama still holds considerable power. It is also a tragedy that Hinata-sama's kindness has rendered her equally as misguided."

Takeshi fought to keep the grin at bay when he heard how wistfully Yuudai had spoken about Hinata. "You are correct; it is tragic. We are blessed in that we have an opportunity to save the Clan. I am next on the Register. Once I am on the Council, Yoshinori-sama and I will increase the Council's authority. We will ensure that the Clan is represented by more than a single individual. The Clan Head will still wield authority, of course, but we will _arrange_ a suitable match for the heiress to ensure that she recognizes the proper path for the Clan."

Yuudai's heart soared. He had not been comfortable when his Uncle had summoned him. Takeshi was a schemer and thrived on plots and machinations.

But the message Yuudai had just received washed all doubts away. "What role will I play?"

"A vital one. Our faction recognizes you are the only acceptable suitor for the heiress."

The chunnin's gaze hardened. "And the Uzumaki trash?"

"Shall be dealt with, I assure you."

* * *

Takumi was overseeing two of his employees preparing the wagons for departure when he noticed the young Uzumaki suddenly freeze in place. It was a most curious reaction. The merchant realized that the boy wasn't freezing due to any emotional distress. He also knew that it wasn't due to the proximity of the Hyūga girl. Naruto would get _distracted_ by the young woman occasionally in camp. Fortunately, he was exceptionally professional while the Caravan was moving. Takumi decided to indulge his curiosity.

"Excuse me, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto turned and bowed slightly to the client. "Is there something you require, Takumi-san?"

"Ah, yes. I am curious about something." Takumi paused and dabbed at his temples with a handkerchief. "I have noticed that you have paused several times over the past two days before reporting to Wantanabe-san. Why is that?"

"I have a special jutsu that I use to scout the surrounding area. The technique allows me to investigate anything discovered by Hinata-chan's Byakugan or Kiba's sense of smell." Naruto responded. Yuji-sensei had reminded his students not to reveal any of their secrets to the clients. It was a somewhat difficult order to follow for Kiba and Naruto. They both wanted to impress the civilians by telling the merchants about their abilities. The boys wanted to start building a formidable reputation as quickly as possible.

"Fascinating."

"Thank you, Takumi-san. If you would excuse me; I must report to Yuji-sensei." Naruto bowed quickly and found Yuji-sensei packing away his tent.

"Report, Naruto-kun."

Naruto nodded. "My Kage Bunshins just dispelled. Hinata-chan definitely found the remains of a camp. It was pretty big. There was evidence of at least twenty-two tents. A pair of the clones found where they dumped their garbage. Looks like the camp had been abandoned for a week or so."

"This area is the hunting grounds of a semi-nomadic tribe. It is possible that Hinata-chan discovered a simple hunting camp. However, we are going to proceed as if the camp was a bandit hideaway."

"Yes sir. I'll let Kiba and Hinata-chan know." Naruto saluted after Yuji dismissed him.

Kiba and Hinata had finished packing and were helping the merchants prepare to move out. Kiba noticed Naruto approaching first. The Inuzuka tapped Hinata on the shoulder and motioned towards their blond teammate.

"Morning Kiba. Good Morning, Hinata-chan." Naruto said cheerfully as friends jogged over.

Kiba pounded his fist against Naruto's. "Morning dude. Your Kage Bunshins find anything?"

"Well, Hinata-chan, you were right. It's definitely a camp of some sort. According to the memories of the clones, I'd say the camp's been abandoned for about a week. Yuji-sensei says there's a possibility that it's a hunting camp for that tribe. He also said that he doubts it and wants us to prepare for a bandit attack."

The other two shinobi nodded. Akamaru erupted into a series of barks and growls. Kiba responded with a few grunts. "Akamaru says it's definitely bandits. He hasn't noticed many game tracks, none worth hunting anyway. Hell, Akamaru hasn't really smelled anything. If this was primo hunting grounds, _I_ would have smelt something by now."

"What's our positioning going to be?" Hinata placed her hands on her hips.

_Be professional!_ Naruto reminded himself. "We need Hinata-chan to be where we can get the best Byakugan coverage."

"Definitely. I'd say you should be in the middle part of the caravan then, Hinata." Kiba began to smile feraly. The thought of the coming battle was causing his blood to sing.

The Hyūga heiress nodded. "It's definitely the best position for me."

"Do you want point, Kiba? You'd be able to pick up potential ambushes better than me and with Akamaru you can handle bandits long enough for us to show up and help you finish them off." Naruto paused. "I'll be positioned halfway between you two. It'll allow me to respond quickly to any ambush."

"What about ambushes to the rear? If these bandits are professionals, they'll hit the rear of the caravan to prevent us from running away." Hinata asked.

Naruto didn't immediately respond. He quickly sketched out the surrounding area from the memories of his clones. "Let's not forget that we are a four-man team. Yuji-sensei is as much a part of our team as anyone of us."

"I appreciate that, Naruto-kun." Yuji grinned as he rose from his seat on the edge of one of the wagons.

"Wantanabe-sensei, how long have you been watching?" Kiba asked with the anticipation of battle thick in his words.

"I arrived shortly after Naruto-kun did. I am proud of your planning. The reasoning was sound. We move out in five minutes."

Team Four nodded to their commander and wished each other luck. They would soon be true shinobi.

* * *

Gatō, the powerful shipping magnate and underworld boss, gritted his teeth as his private physician attended to his broken wrist. That damned effeminate ninja had a grip! Gatō had always planned on betraying the missing-nin he had hired. It was a business decision at first. Dead men don't need payment. He could also collect their heads and that barbaric blade and sell it back to Kiri. That show of 'goodwill' could possibly get him some lucrative contracts with the Hidden Mist Village. After today's embarrassment, it was a personal choice.

"Finished, Gatō-sama." The Doctor spoke softly.

The Crime Boss nodded. "Good, get out." The Doctor left without another word. The short industrialist grabbed the nearest business document. It was a report from the geologist he had hired. Gatō fought the urge to clench his fist and shout. There _hadn't_ been a mistake. This god-forsaken island had a coal deposit after all. Better yet, it covered nearly the entire island. He was going to have to strip mine the entire island, but there wasn't any real estate worth saving in Wave anyway.

He reached for the next document. "Well, well, my associate sends an update…" Gatō reached for his ornate letter opener and tore the envelop open. His secret business partner in Konoha wanted an update on his investment in the Land of Noodles. His contact was far too arrogant for Gatō's liking, but the business partner had informed him of Tazuna hiring shinobi. _I guess I do owe him a prompt response. _Gatō quickly penned a letter to his co-investor. He included all the relevant information: how the Land of Earth's tariffs were affecting production, the amount of ships entering ports and the number of missing girls and illegal immigrants from the chaotic Land of Sound.

After handing off the return letter to his most trusted associate, he burnt the letter. The criminal magnate used the burning letter to light a cigar. Gatō leaned back in his chair. He was pondering the riddle of his business associate. The man came from a powerful mercantile interest; that was obvious. He never expected a shinobi clan to be so business minded. It was a shame Gatō could never openly hire them. Maybe if his associate's plot succeeded… Now that was a happy thought.

* * *

"Byakugan!" Hinata whispered as she flashed though the hand seals. She had been scanning the surrounding area with her Byakugan every fifteen minutes. Occasionally, Hinata would see something and Naruto would send out a Kage Bunshin or two to investigate. Team Four had discovered a second camp. Naruto's Kage Bunshin runners reported to Hinata and Wantanabe-sensei that Kiba detected the scent of smoke on the wind. He said it was distant and for a time it was beyond the range of Hinata's Dojutsu.

"Oh no…" Hinata breathed. There was a burning barricade manned by several bandits nearly a mile in front of them. "Naruto-kun! Get Wantanabe-sensei! We need to stop!"

In the distance, Naruto leapt up and landed on one of the corners of the wagon. "On it, Hinata-chan!"

Several Narutos scattered to warn the others. The Caravan halted and Team Four and Takumi met at the center of the Caravan. Takumi was pacing nervously when Hinata relayed the information about the barricade and the bandits lying in wait.

"Genin Hyūga, do you have an estimate of enemy numbers?" The Jonin asked in a voice he hadn't used since his time in ANBU.

The partially disguised Hyūga noticed the tone of absolute authority immediately. "I estimate…" She was not comfortable revealing the numbers. "Enemy numbers are likely at least twenty with the possibility of up to thirty."

"Very well, thank you Genin Hyūga. Genin Inuzuka, have your senses or those of Akamaru uncovered anything?"

Kiba wiped a bit of blood from between his nose and lips. "Sir, the winds are favorable for Akamaru and me. We're confident in our assessments. The enemy is all male and none are very young. I'd say they are either experienced or lucky."

"There both." Naruto cut in. "Wantanabe-sensei, I would like to suggest a strategy."

The former Hunter-nin nodded severely. "Speak of it Genin Uzumaki."

"Well, it involves Kage Bunshins…" Naruto began to explain his idea. Wantanabe Yuji was impressed by its simplicity.

_Only Naruto could carry out this plan. I don't know anyone who can speak so casually about creating dozens of Kage Bunshins.

* * *

_

Kyu Bong grinned broadly as he loosened the fastens on the dagger at his side. He, like the rest of his comrades, wore a simple uniform based on the militias of the Land of Honey. The simple brown tunic lulled the unwary into a false sense of security. Lone travelers or those with no valuables would not recognize them for their true line of work. The merchant caravans would never dare to report them to the authorities. It was an elegant solution the highwayman admitted in a moment of vanity.

He had heard the wagons before he saw them. "Halt, good travelers! This is a Land of Honey militia checkpoint!"

There was a child leading the caravan. Kyu Bong fought to keep the surprise from his features when he recognized the boy was wearing a hitai-ate. _Shinobi_. He thought with disdain. _Children playing soldier._

The boy wearing a grey, fur-lined jacket stopped and crossed his arms. A white dog eyed Kyu Bong warily. "If this is a Land of Honey Checkpoint, the Land of Fire won't be happy that you're on this side of the border."

_Shit!_ The bandit knew that ninja were well educated for their age, but he had no idea. "I am sure it is an honest mistake. I am merely a soldier following orders."

"Then you won't mind showing me your orders." The ninja actually _growled_ at him!

"My orders are" Kyu Bong reached to his side and drew his short sword. "to attack!"

"Enemy attack!" The feral looking shinobi barked as he drew a kunai. Kyu Bong and his four associates charged.

"Don't you mean ambush, whelp?" Kyu Bong heard Baldy sneer.

Baldy screamed out in pain as the kunai struck him in the chest. "Ambushes imply we didn't know you were coming!"

Kyu Bong felt unease rise into his throat. The child was grinning! He was ecstatic at the prospect of battle.

_At least we have the advantage in numbers._

Six bandits charged out of the woods screaming and brandishing crude weapons. Naruto drew a brace of shuriken and was already breathing heavily.

_You are a Shinobi of Konoha. This is what you were born to do!_ Naruto tried to steady his breathing and threw the shuriken. The 'ninja stars' as civilians and levied soldiers called them were generally not lethal weapons. Shuriken were generally used as distractions to slow enemies or create openings. Naruto's ploy slowed the advance of his enemies. One even fell to the ground. The blond Genin was so focused on the advancing bandits that he failed to notice he had claimed one of the criminal's eyes.

Naruto drew a kunai and countercharged his enemies.

"This isn't a game child!" A large brigand with a club yelled. Naruto rolled under the wild swing and stabbed his kunai deep into his thigh. The ninja twisted the weapon and dragged the blade through the thigh. The cut was so deep Naruto felt the tip of his kunai scrape against the man's femur.

The bandit would bleed out quickly. The Femoral artery had been severed completely.

Naruto instinctively moved inside the swing of another bandit and grabbed the man's wrist. The bandit had a look of shock at Naruto's strength. A snap kick shattered his knee and Naruto slashed the man's throat.

_I'm going to have nightmares about this later._ The boy thought in a strangely detached manner.

Another bandit swung a toothed ax at Naruto. There was no way he could dodge.

In desperation, he molded his chakra and shouted. "Kawarimi!"

He landed a few feet away and heard the axe man roar in shock at 'beheading' a mahogany log. Naruto leapt from his position and drew another kunai. He stabbed viciously into the man's skull. The ninja wretched the blade from his victim and threw it at a shocked bandit.

The man died with a gurgle.

The lone remaining bandit tried to run for the woods. He made it three steps before an arrow passed clean through his heart.

"Reinforce the others." Wantanabe ordered crisply. Naruto used Kawarimi once again to switch places with one of his clones. The fight had taken place away from the caravan. Naruto had ordered his Kage Bunshins to remain with the caravan in case bandits slipped past Team Four. One of the merchants gaped as yet another Naruto appeared in a puff of smoke and leapt away. He took a moment to assess the situation. At the front of the convoy, he saw Akamaru tear a man's throat out. Kiba was on all fours and Naruto could actually _see_ chakra leaking off of him. The bandits facing Kiba were radiating fear.

Naruto turned his attention to the flank Hinata was defending. One bandit was on his knees staring at his profusely bleeding stomach. Three others were circling Hinata. Every fiber of his heart told him to rush to aid Hinata, but his mind forced him to realize she was in complete control of the situation. It was at that moment, the three brigands charged.

"Hakkeshō Kaiten!" Hinata yelled. The three bandits were tossed aside like debris in a stormy sea. Naruto actually saw that one had severe chakra burns on his face and hands.

"Naruto-kun! Three more bandits are trying to hit the third wagon! Two are coming for the fifth!"

"I'll take the ones heading to the third wagon! I'm closer." Naruto spoke with authority.

He arrived at the third wagon just as the bandits did. They actually stopped in midstep as they saw him. Naruto was a child in their eyes, but he was covered in the blood of their comrades. And in _his_ eyes, they recognized the fact that Naruto would not stop until his mission was complete. Their pause had doomed them. The closest bandit fell when a kunai split his forehead and another pierced his heart. Naruto landed a few feet from the second bandit. The lanky criminal threw a sloppy punch that Naruto blocked with trivial ease. Naruto responded by punching the man viciously in the throat.

"Tsūga!" Naruto wheeled around when he heard Kiba call his attack. The damage the Passing Fang Jutsu did was shocking in its violence. Naruto watched in a haze of morbid awe as the brigand was reduced to bloody offal.

Naruto shook the image from his mind. "Kiba! Is the flank secure?"

"Yeah, I took care of the enemy manning the barricade! What about your flank and Hinata's?"

Naruto and Kiba leapt off to where Hinata was defending the fifth wagon. "Hinata-chan should have the final wagon secure by now!"

The boys reached the fifth wagon and saw Yuji-sensei hand a panting Hinata a canteen. "Report, Genin."

Naruto fought the urge to gulp at the tone. His sensei's Hunter-nin voice was more terrifying than the bandit attack. _This is a Jonin_. "We have secured the barricade and the western flank, sir."

Takumi nervously approached the Shinobi. "Is it done, Wantanabe-san?"

The Jonin nodded once. "It is. We should move out."

"Of course, the caravan is ahead of schedule. We will travel six miles and set up camp at a nearby ridge. I am sure that your team is exhausted from the battle."

Yuji cast a proud glance at his Genin. "By the time the caravan is ready to depart, they will be combat ready again. They are all exceptional shinobi."

Team Four basked in their Jonin Instructor's praise. The Caravan progressed quickly. Wantanabe was pleased at how quickly Hinata, Kiba and Naruto set up their own tents.

"Ano, Wantanabe-sensei, who will have first watch?" Hinata asked as she rolled out her sleeping bag.

"I will. Naruto still has a few Kage Bunshins active. They will assist me. All of you did well today. Sleep the entire night."

As Yuji moved to give instructions to Naruto's Kage Bunshin; he chose to ignore how close together Naruto and Hinata had placed their sleeping bags. Tonight would likely be traumatic for them. He could not bring himself to deny them the comfort of proximity.

Sleep came quickly for the young ninja, but it did not linger easily.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: The Plot Advancement no Jutsu continues!

Please review! My fragile sense self-worth depends on it! :D


	14. Chapter 14

Inari woke up early and found his usual spot on the roof. He had cried all night after confronting the foolish Ninja who thought they could oppose Gatō. How could they not realize they were going to die? They clung to delusions of hopes and dreams. It was a cruel joke.

"Father…"

"Your tears will not bring him back or cause his soul to rest." Inari turned around in shock. It was the harsh looking Konoha shinobi.

"What would you know? What have you lost?" The young child screamed at the foolish ninja.

Sasuke walked past him and stared out to sea. "Everything. I've lost everything."

Inari couldn't respond and the young man continued. "I actually envy you. Your mother and grandfather still live. They will still live. I watched _that man_ murder my mother and father. _That man_ slaughtered my entire clan. _That man_ killed everyone I cared for. He tortured me. I am broken, Inari."

"Then what do you live for?"

Sasuke cast the nervous child a glance out of the corner of his eye. "Vengeance. My life is dedicated to the path of the Avenger. Your father wanted you to live without fear. Inari, you are failing him. Become strong. Avenge him and every person Gatō has caused to suffer."

"Why don't you cry?" Inari tried to look at the ninja but it was if he was shrouded somehow.

Sasuke walked to the edge of the roof. "I ran out of tears years ago." The ninja disappeared into the dawn and Inari was alone with the words of the Uchiha.

* * *

Naruto grumbled as the familiar sensation of one of his clones dispelling. He slipped out of his sleeping bag. The sun had just crested the horizon and Hinata and Kiba were still asleep. Kiba was on the far side of the tent with Akamaru curled up at his feet. Hinata was finally sleeping peacefully. Naruto had woken up several times during the night to help her through a particularly difficult nightmare. He gently brushed one of the strands of hair that framed her face out of the way. Gingerly, Naruto stepped over her and exited the tent. Yuji-sensei greeted Naruto quietly.

"Did you sleep, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto nodded at his teacher. "I didn't sleep all through the entire night. I woke up a few times either when I remembered… when I remembered slashing that one man's throat or when Hinata-chan had a rough spell."

"One of her foes did not die easily. If I had not put an arrow through his skull it would have taken him six hours to die."

The image of the bandit bleeding from a kunai wound in his gut staring blankly at his bloody hands flashed in Naruto's mind. It was hard enough to recall _seeing_ the horrific wound. Hinata-chan had caused it with a powerful kunai throw.

"I'll be there for her." Naruto said definitively.

Wantanabe nodded. "Good, but don't forget about Kiba-kun. He may be affected as deeply as Hinata-chan, but will not show it outwardly."

Naruto stared resolutely into his teacher's eyes. "They are my teammates. I will be there for them."

"Remember that they will be there for you as well." Yuji looked over the Caravan's camp. "Naruto-kun, I need you to make three squads of Kage Bunshin and make a quick patrol of the area. Takumi-san wishes to move out in two hours."

"Yes sir." Naruto's reply was simple and he immediately complied. The clones dispelled an hour later and reported that the surrounding area was clear. They saw no signs of any bandits and the roads were clear.

Kiba and Hinata joined Naruto and the team's Jonin instructor after they packed. The Genin looked to Wantanabe for guidance. The former Hunter-nin called upon his experience as a father and smiled.

"I am proud of all of you. You were truly a Ninja Team. Each of you supported and communicated with each other even in the heat of battle. None of you lost sight of the objective or the strategy you worked out _as a team_. Just as importantly, all of you were flexible enough to respond to the ebb and flow of combat."

Yuji turned his attention to Kiba. "Kiba-kun, you had the most dangerous assignment of the entire team. The initial contact with the enemy is always the period of greatest risk. Our clients reported that you did not engage our enemies rashly. That was my greatest worry about you."

The Inuzuka beamed at the words as Akamaru howled in joy. The Jonin laughed a bit and addressed Hinata next. "Hinata-chan, you played a vital role in the success of the battle. Without your Byakugan, the bandits would have possessed the crucial advantage of surprise. This shifted the initiative to us. You likely saved all our lives. I was also impressed by your skills in the fight. Hinata, you handled your opponents efficiently and kept the Squad appraised of the situation."

Naruto took Hinata's hand. "You were amazing." Naruto whispered.

"Now, Naruto-kun…" Wantanabe-sensei crossed his arms. "While the majority of your Shadow Clones did not take part in direct combat, they provided an additional line of defense for our clients. The presence of the clones granted us a greater amount of tactical flexibility. In combat you were highly efficient and kept your wits. Your use of the Body Replacement was nearly flawless and you acted quickly but did not rush into combat."

"Thank you, Yuji-sensei." Naruto felt a wonderful contentment at the praise. His grip on Hinata's hand never wavered.

"You are welcome. Takumi-san will want to move out soon. I want Team Four prepared to leave at a moment's notice, dismissed."

* * *

Hiashi was thankful for his working relationship with Jiraiya of the Sanin. The Hyūga Clan Head had met the legendary Toad Sage several months after the Clan had declared Naruto a Clan Ward. Hiashi and Hiromi had been attending the wedding of a civilian ally of the Hyūga. After returning from one of the many social functions that preceded a high society wedding, they had discovered the bear of a man waiting for them. Hiashi immediately recognized Jiraiya. The next hour and a half passed with Jiraiya asking for any and all information of his godson. Hiashi filled him in on every detail he was aware of. Hiromi spoke of how Naruto was a kind hearted and energetic child. The legendary shinobi and author smiled as he slumped into the chair and revealed he had been on his way to Konoha to see 'Minato and Kushina's hyperactive brat.' After another hour, Jiraiya was satisfied that the son of his prized student was in good hands. He demanded that the Hyūga send him yearly updates on the 'brat's' progress or immediate word if something major happened.

Jiraiya had repaid the promise by teaching Hiashi a great deal of Sealing Arts.

The Clan Head rarely used the more advanced seals the Sanin had taught him. Today was one of those rare days. Hiashi had sealed his office and as a further precaution had posted several of his most trusted Main Branch Guards at the door.

_I would prefer to have Neji, Naruto and K__ō__ keeping watch._ Hiashi sighed and turned his attention to his allies.

"Thank you all for arriving on such short notice. I have called you here because the division wracking our Clan; our family."

The assembled Councilors and powerful members of the Hyūga nodded. Minoru and Akihito was the pro-Hiashi bloc on the Council. Hizashi represented the Branch Family. Hisako, Katsuro and Seiji represented various power blocks within the Clan that had no representation on the Council.

"I fear we are moving towards conflict with Takeshi and his faction. The Main Branch is the most heavily divided. My friends, I ask that you stand with me in the coming days. We must remain united. Minoru-sama and Hizashi-sama, you are the voice of the Branch Family. What is the mood of our brothers?"

Minoru stared through the Clan Head. "A majority stands with you as Clan Head, Hiashi-sama. We of the Branch are grateful for the efforts you have made to heal the divisions between the different branches. Unfortunately, there is a small but active bloc that opposes our efforts. They believe the changes are coming too fast. My primary concern, Hiashi-sama, is not with the dissidents. It is with those who are undecided."

"I concur with Minoru-sama, Hiashi-sama. There is significant strife in this portion of the Branch. I will not mince words; it is a significant number of Branch members. Many simply wish to avoid conflict and will likely not pick sides. However, the remainder is trying to decide which side to follow." Hizashi's eyes never left his brother's. The younger twin had constant contact with the day-to-day lives of the Branch Family and was widely accepted as the 'Head' of the Branch family.

Seiji nodded. "We must show them that our bloc offers them the most immediate benefit while maintaining long term stability."

"Hiashi-sama, I have a suggestion." Hisako spoke. Hiashi smiled at his friend and granted him permission to speak. "We can begin to ease the marriage restrictions."

"How would you suggest we ease the restrictions?" Hiashi asked.

Hisako gathered his thoughts. "For one, I would end the archaic requirement that any branch marriage requires a Council member to sign the betrothal contract. This act would be the simplest to implement would not directly impact the power of the Council."

"This would help cement the Branch's loyalty to our bloc." Seiji nodded approvingly.

Katsuro spoke for the first time. "I will work to secure support amongst my fellows. Speaking of betrothal contracts, I have heard rumblings from Takeshi's dissidents."

Instinctively, Hiashi knew he was not going to like what Katsuro had to say. "What are these 'rumblings'?"

"Several of Takeshi's allies that wish to avoid further deterioration of the harmony of the Clan have suggested betrothing Hinata-sama to Chunnin Yuudai 'for the good of the clan'.

The air became thick with Hiashi's killing intent and rage. "_My_ _daughter is not a concession to be bargained for._"

"The transparency of the dissident's ploy is insulting." Minoru sneered.

Hizashi knew his brother was a single word from storming into Takeshi's section of the Compound and killing him. Truthfully, Hizashi would have no issue with such an action. However, the necessity of preventing open conflict among the Hyūga took precedence. "Gentlemen, we are Hyūga! We are masters of our emotions, not mastered by them!"

The killing intent melted away and Hiashi took several calming breaths. "My brother is correct. We must approach this as Hyūga. I thank you for your time and I apologize that his meeting must be cut short.

Katsuro, Seiji, Minoru and Hisako bowed as they left. Hizashi remained seated across from his brother. "How are we going to proceed, brother?"

"I do not believe it is necessary to change our course. The majority of the clan is behind us, my brother. Our foes sought to force me into a foolish action by revealing their aspirations regarding my daughter. They partially succeeded. The dissidents knew any actions of that nature would enrage me and they have indeed enraged me."

"Do not let your rage control you, Hiashi." Hizashi warned his brother.

"I will not. I thank you for helping me to ground my emotions." The elder twin took a deep breath. "We shall continue the current path. Minoru will likely put forth his motion at the next Council meeting. It will pass. Yoshinori's, and by association; Takeshi's, opposition will alienate them from the Branch. The dissidents will dig their own graves."

* * *

Wantanabe was pleased to see that his students did not relax when they saw the gates of Jōetsu. Team Four maintained on guard even inside the city. The Genin remembered that the Land of Honey was a client state of the Land of Lightning. Hinata made a mental note to ask her father about a masking genjutsu. She flashed a reassuring smile at Naruto when he cast a concerned glance in her direction. Naruto returned the smile and was visibly less tense. The shinobi team continued to escort the caravan to the massive warehouse complex that was the heart of Takumi's business world.

The merchant approached Team Four. "Konoha shinobi, I must say I am more than impressed with your performance. When will you return to the Land of Fire?"

"Takumi-san, we will be leaving tomorrow morning." Yuji stated simply.

The merchant tapped his chin with his index finger. "If you would kindly stop by my office sometime before you leave, I will have a personal letter of commendation for your Kage."

"That is very kind, Takumi-san. Is there any other service you require?"

"No, no. Your young ninja performed exceptionally. Have a pleasant evening!" The Konoha Shinobi bowed. "Oh ho! If you need a place to say, go to Hotel Oroshi. If you say you are staying on the Yoshida account, you will not have to pay."

Yuji nodded again. "You are very generous, Takumi-san."

The Konoha ninja made their way to the hotel after receiving directions from the client. There were no problems checking in. Yuji got a separate room for Hinata, but made sure it was connected to theirs. After the team was settled for the night, Yuji called them into the men's hotel room.

"We will depart tomorrow morning. I want an update on everyone's supply situation. Also, if any of you are injured, even slightly, I want to know now."

Naruto crossed his arms. "I am down to four kunai, but have plenty of shuriken. I got a scratch in the fight, but it's healed up already."

"I did not use any of my shuriken and I only used one kunai… to… to kill that man." Hinata was breathing heavily and shaking. Naruto threw his arm around her shoulder and tried to help her calm down.

Kiba rubbed Akamaru's head. "I, uh, only used two kunai."

The children started to drift off. "Alright, I will be back in a little bit with supplies. Get some food I'm; sure they'll put it on Takumi-san's tab. But don't go overboard."

A silence descended on the room after the Jonin left. Naruto was thankful that Hinata seemed to have calmed down some. Kiba was the first to speak. "Do we'll ever get used to killing?"

"I hope not." Naruto gulped. "I don't ever want to be that dead inside."

* * *

Sakura had come to appreciate the natural beauty of the land surrounding Tazuna-san's home. The choice to continue on with the mission was truly the right one. Wave needed their help. There was no way Sakura could allow that Gatō to continue strangle the life from an entire country.

"The only thing standing in our way is one of the most dangerous S-rank Missing Nins in the world and his powerful accomplice." Sakura said with nervous and forced humor.

She had to admit that she had developed more faith in their ability to survive. The arrival of the Hyūga Jonin Kō was a godsend. Sakura remembered how much Hinata's Jūken had hurt back in the Academy. If the 'Gentle' Fist style was that painful in a restrained spar; Sakura couldn't imagine the damage it would do in real combat! In addition to Kō, they would have Kakashi-sensei back to full strength. Kakashi-sensei had defeated Zabuza by himself. Zabuza would be hard pressed to survive an assault by two Jonin.

_**CHA! That bandaged and eyebrowless loser doesn't stand a chance!**_

Team Seven could take the fake Hunter-nin while the Jonin handled the former Swordsmen. The fraud of an ANBU would be hard pressed to handle Sasuke's taijutsu and ninjutsu skills, Shino's insect techniques and Sakura's own Genjutsu.

_Hm… Maybe I should cast a genjutsu around the workers? Zabuza and the Hunter-nin will probably be able to dispel them, but it will cost them valuable time and chakra. After fighting through two Konoha Jonin, Sasuke's ninjutsu and having Shino's bugs eat their chakra; they can't afford to combat my genjutsu. _

_**HELL YEAH! BRILLIANT PLAN!**_

The kunoichi nodded at her plan. She would tell her commanders the details as soon as she got inside. Kakashi was beginning to show signs of recovery and Kō was far more accessible than Sakura believed a Hyūga could ever be. The Jonin would be able to help fine tune Sakura's plan and offer suggestions on how to better incorporate Shino and Sasuke into the strategy.

_That is, if Sasuke hasn't trained himself into the ground._ Sakura sighed as she readjusted her hitai-ate. Sasuke was her inspiration and she cared deeply for him. That admiration did not make her blind to his faults. After graduating, and especially after the terrifying battle against Zabuza, Sakura had taken a hard look at her life. Her feelings for Sasuke remained the same. However, she was worried for him. Sasuke had taken several huge risks in the fight against the Missing Nin. She knew exactly why he had done it: the Sharingan. It was true that they had saved Kakashi with plan, but it had been almost too great a risk getting that close to Zabuza.

The trick of hiding a large number of Shino's chakra draining insects in the shadow of Sasuke's Fūma Shuriken was brilliant however.

Sakura was brought out of her retrospective by the twang of a bowstring. The Konoha ninja peered around the corner and saw Tsunami's young son practicing with a crossbow.

"You are good with that, Inari-kun." Sakura greeted the young boy.

Inari cranked the firing mechanism back into place before turning to look at Sakura. His response was a dismissive grunt. The pink haired kunoichi giggled at the sound.

"I see you've been talking to Sasuke-kun."

Inari shouldered the weapon and fired. It was a very good shot. "He told me that I was not living the life tou-san would have wanted. Kaiza wanted me to be brave and stand up to Gatō. So, that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to be Wave's Avenger."

Sakura's shoulders slumped. _Vengeance_. It was her greatest fear for her Sasuke-kun. She worried constantly that his obsession would drive him further away from those that cared about him. Sakura believed in Sasuke's quest to defeat Itachi. The Uchiha Clan deserved justice for the massacre. Sakura was fearful; however, that Sasuke's singular focus on his status as the Avenger would turn him into the very monster he swore to destroy.

"It's ok to want justice, but vengeance can become an obsession. The need for vengeance can consume you."

Inari walked towards Sakura and glared. "Your boyfriend lives for vengeance."

"I know, but I'm trying to show him there are so many other things to live for." Inari noticed the sad look in the girl's eyes even as she blushed at the thought of being Sasuke's girlfriend.

"What's the difference?" Inari sat on the ground and started yanking up tufts of grass.

Sakura sat next to the child. "Between vengeance and justice?" The boy barely nodded. "Well, I believe that justice is a goal to be achieved. Justice is about protecting the lives of those you care about, honoring the memory of the lost or preventing further tragedy. When you achieve justice, you can move on and build a new life. Vengeance… Vengeance becomes a way of life. Even if you destroy the target of your vengeance; I doubt you'll be satisfied. How will you know that your goal has been accomplished? How can you stop seeing enemies behind every corner or action?"

"I never thought of it like that. Thank you, Sakura."

The girl smiled as she stood up. "I'm sure you'll realize your own path soon, Inari-kun. Don't forget, we're here to help you get your justice. Team Seven, Kakashi-sensei and Kō-sensei will protect your grandfather and he'll finish that bridge!"

"Thanks Sakura." Inari repeated as he stopped pulling at the grass.

"You're welcome, Inari-kun."

Inari watched her leave. _These ninja have changed my life._

* * *

Naruto heard the knock on the door first. He nudged Hinata, who was lightly dozing next to him. She nodded and activated her Dojutsu.

"It's Yuji-sensei." The blond shinobi whispered a 'thank you' and then gave the signal to Kiba. The Inuzuka opened the door without exposing himself or Akamaru. Wantanabe entered the room and smiled at his team's caution.

"Excellent work all of you. No one is exposed to the doors or windows." He looked at the plates of food littered around the room. The boys laughed nervously at their Jonin teacher's raised eyebrow.

"We were hungry and had to get something for Akamaru too!" Kiba declared.

The Jonin laughed. "Did you order something for me?"

Naruto nodded. "It's on the warming tray."

"You made them bring a warming tray?" Yuji smiled as he worked his way over to the food. "Ah, good choice."

The Genin allowed their commander to eat. "The beef was good. Now, we'll be leaving in the morning. I spoke with Takumi-san and he warned us that there is the possibility of storms coming off the mountains. I want us to make our best speed back to Konoha."

"Wantanabe-sensei; who has first watch?" Kiba asked.

"This area is mostly secure. Naruto-kun can use Shadow Clones to keep an eye out. Make sure the doors and windows are locked and secure. If you get up during the night, just check the room before returning to bed."

Naruto nodded and made three clones. The Uzumaki handed the Clones several sheets of paper. One went outside and watched one entrance to the hall. Another took up watch at the stairwell. The final clone took up a position in the door connected the hotel rooms.

"Naruto-kun, why did you give the Clones sheets of paper?" Hinata leaned forward and tried see if there was anything special about the paper.

Kiba snickered at the effect Hinata's attention was having on the Clones. Naruto was oblivious to his Clone's distracted state. "It's just regular paper. The Clones are going to practice some chakra control while we're asleep. Gotta be productive."

"We are leaving at dawn. Get plenty of rest." Wantanabe ordered.

* * *

Team Four was making excellent time returning to Konoha. They had left shortly after dawn. Yuji had wanted to leave exactly at sunrise, but a representative of Takumi-san had stopped by to thank them and warn them about the possibility of storms rolling in from the mountains.

"Wantanabe-sensei, I think it's going to storm soon." Kiba spoke from the front of the procession.

The Jonin instructor nodded and leapt to the top of a nearby tree. After a second, he returned. "You are right, Kiba-kun. The storm is coming off the northern mountains. It will break in three hours. I want us to reach Kubisaki Pass before we are overtaken by the storm."

"Yes sir!" The Genin responded. Akamaru barked in agreement.

"Yuji-sensei, isn't Kubisaki Pass where the former Land of Necks was located?" Naruto asked.

Wantanabe smiled. "Indeed. The Fire Daimyo's armies laid siege to the nation and destroyed it during the Second Shinobi World War. It was a great victory of the Land of Fire and secured the Western Front of the Conventional War."

"I've also heard the region is haunted and the dead do not rest easily in their graves!" Kiba filled his voice with exaggerated emotion.

Hinata shook her head. "Those stories are likely embellishments of the nationalist resistance in the area."

"While I am glad you are familiar with the history and local superstitions of the Land of Fire, there is a storm threatening to overtake us. Move out!" Wantanabe ordered.

The knowledge of the storm forced the shinobi team to move with a sense of urgency. Team Four reached Kubisaki Pass without any major incidents. As they moved through the pass, a dense fog rolled in.

"Where did this fog come from?" Naruto groaned as he tried to pierce the gloom.

"Probably rolled off the mountains." Kiba responded casually. Akamaru jumped from his perch on Kiba's head and began sniffing.

_There is something off about this fog. It came from the east which is lower elevation. Fog is supposed to pool in low lying areas._ Yuji mused uneasily.

At that moment, the bleeding edge of the storm broke. Thunder rolled in the distance.

"Wantanabe-sensei, I see a castle in the distance! We could take shelter there." Hinata spoke up.

"We head for the castle, but keep your guard up." Yuji was struck by something he couldn't quite place.

Kiba, Hinata and Yuji all raised their hoods to keep their heads dry. The outfit Naruto wore, as luck would have it, completely lacked a hood. "I knew there was a reason I put this thing in the closet! I haven't worn this since the tracking exam at the academy! The lack of orange is bad luck, I tell you!"

The blond groaned as he pulled the black pocketed vest over his head. At least the castle would be dry and Team Four could wait out the storm in peace.

* * *

Kakashi was thankful to be up and moving around again. The Copy-ninja could have gotten up a day ago, but would have required crutches. Kō's arrival had been a godsend in multiple ways. His students received nearly a week of chakra control exercises instead of a few days. Kakashi was excited to see how Sakura's exceptional control would improve after being exposed to Hyūga chakra control exercises. The exercises would help Sasuke and Shino as well. The Jonin Instructor arrived at the kitchen table to a generous breakfast. The client's daughter, Tsunami, brought a cup of tea.

"Thank you, Tsunami-san. I don't think I've seen such generous portions since my last bodyguard mission." Kakashi appeared to be smiling with his visible eye.

"You are welcome. You've barely eaten in a week and need a good meal. I also need to thank you for your students. They have been protecting Dad and his workers while not practicing to fight that horrible Zabuza. More than even that, they've given me back my son. I don't know what they've said to him, but Inari is almost acting like he did before Gatō murdered Kaiza."

That struck Kakashi. He was proud of his students. "Konoha believes in the Will of Fire. Love is the key to peace."

"I like that philosophy. Regardless of what happens Konoha will help spread peace to Wave."

Kakashi could only nod. Unknown to either adult, they were being watched.

"Shino, come here!" Sakura whispered. The Aburame cautiously approached. "I think Kakashi-sensei is going to take his mask off."

"You are aware that if Sasuke were present that he would say this is a frivolous diversion. " Shino whispered back.

"Well, what do you think?" Sakura tried to get a look when she heard Kakashi say itadakimasu.

Shino adjusted his ever present sunglasses. "What do I believe? I believe this is a valuable opportunity to learn more about our sensei. We are not spying, but instead practicing valuable observational skills."

"Well said, Shino." Sakura tried not to laugh.

"What the heck are you to whispering about?" Inari said in a soft voice as he snuck up to the window.

"We're trying to see what Kakashi-sensei looks like without the mask." Sakura grinned as she and her teammate turned to the young boy.

"Oh, cool." The three turned back to the window and groaned. Kakashi had already finished the meal and had his mask back on. Tsunami was looking at the Jonin with uncontained awe.

"I believe we have been foiled." Shino deadpanned.

* * *

Team Four approached the castle as the storm grew in ferocity. Naruto raised his hand to knock on the doors when the doors opened on their own. The solid oak doors opened far too silently for their considerable weight and size.

"This isn't suspicious _at all_." Kiba scoffed.

"Hello, I am Jonin Wantanabe Yuji of Konoha. My Genin and I are seeking shelter from the storm. May we speak with the Castellan?" Silence was the only reply.

"Wantanabe-sensei, what should we do?" Hinata asked

"Hinata-chan, activate your Byakugan." The Jonin ordered. Hinata formed a hand seal and activated her Dojutsu. Her gasp did not go unnoticed.

"There is a chakra network running through the entire castle! I see what looks like a heart in the main keep!" Hinata couldn't believe what she was seeing with her Byakugan.

Yuji wasted no time. "We're leaving. As soon as we get to Konoha, I'm going to suggest the Hokage place an Interdiction on this region."

Naruto reached the doors first and struggled to open them. "They aren't budging! Kiba, give me a hand!"

Kiba shouted an affirmative and the two boys pulled at the doors with all their might. Hinata kept her Byakugan active. "That won't work! Whatever this 'castle' is, that is no longer a door! It's perfectly fused!"

"Hinata-chan, can you see any exits?" Yuji asked as he notched an arrow.

"No, Wantanabe-sensei. All I can see is the chakra network. This place isn't a castle. We're in a living creature!" Hinata spoke in fearful awe.

"Wonderful! We've been eaten!" Naruto groaned while Akamaru whined.

"Don't lose focus! We're heading for the Keep and taking out the heart." Yuji shouted

"**I SHALL CONSUME YOU.**" An inhuman voice echoed throughout the castle.

"The hell you will!" Kiba growled. A thick tongue-like appendage erupted from the door and walls. Yuji pinned it to the walls with a flurry of well placed arrows. In response, many more erupted from the walls. Naruto summoned a dozen Kage Bunshin, who cut into the flailing appendages. Hinata tore several apart with a Kaiten. Akamaru was dodging and slashing at those that approached him.

Wantanabe realized that the being masquerading as the castle was forcing the Genin team apart. A thick poisonous cloud eliminated Naruto's clones. The floor became flesh and swallowed Naruto whole.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata screamed and ran to where Naruto had been standing moments before. She struck the floor that had moments ago been a quivering mass of flesh with a powerful Jūken strike. The entire room howled in pain.

"Get to the keep! If we destroy the heart, Naruto'll be fine!" Kiba shouted as Akamaru punched through a whipping tongue.

Yuji put an arrow through two thrashing tongues. "Kiba is correct!"

Kiba and Akamaru rushed towards the stairs with blind determination to defeat the false castle and save their friend. The brash Inuzuka only had a chance to utter a single 'shit' before a snapping jaw erupted from a door.

"Donton: Ishi Hayama!" Wantanabe roared and a massive stone arrow punched clear through mouth and the wall behind it.

Kiba nodded in thanks and tried once again to push to the stairs. The Jonin heard a wet tearing noise behind him and dove out of the way. A massive spray of acid erupted from the now fleshy wall. Wantanabe managed to dodge the majority of the torrent, but not all of it. He ripped off his jacket and flak jacket. The acid was eating through both. Fortunately, only a small amount had hit his skin. Wantanabe roared in pain as a large acid burn appeared on his left side.

"Sensei!" Kiba shouted as he dodged another tongue.

"You know the objective, Genin Inuzuka!" Yuji commanded. The Jonin deftly cut a fleshy tentacle in to pieces.

Hinata cried out as an enormous mouth swallowed her. "Hinata!" Kiba roared. He charged the stairs, more determined than ever to destroy this hateful place. He was so focused on reaching the keep that he failed to notice a suit of armor swinging a naginata. Fortunately for Kiba, he was hit with the flat of blade and only knocked out.

Wantanabe, for his part, stayed on his feet and advanced on his unconscious student. The position of the burn prevented Yuji from effectively using his bow. He could still use kunai and shuriken to great effect. Akamaru was guarding his fallen partner fiercely.

"Akamaru, keep the tentacles off us. I'll deal with the armored puppets." The Jonin began flashing through his hand seals as four suits of armor marched down the stairs.

_Naruto-kun and Hinata-chan, stay safe and remember the objective._

* * *

Hinata was spit from the mouth and impacted against a bedside table. As she rose to her feet, she temporarily deactivated her Byakugan. A chakra flare had overwhelmed her vision. Instinctively and unnecessarily, Hinata blinked several times. Hinata rose to her feet and noticed that her kunai holster had been torn away.

"At least my skin wasn't broken." She whispered. Hinata was about to reactivate her bloodline limit when a figure appeared in the doorway. The Hyūga heiress did not trust her standard vision and activated her Byakugan. The figure disappeared from her enhanced vision. "What is this?"

Hinata returned to her normal vision and the figure returned. The man nodded slightly at Hinata and continued down the hallway. "I haven't been attacked by the creature again."

Hinata ran from the room and looked down the hall. The armored mystery turned and entered another room. Hinata felt a subconscious call to follow the apparition and fearing a genjutsu attempted to dispel the feeling.

_Nothing happened. This is not natural!_ Hinata's rational mind did not want to head in the direction of the mystery individual. Unfortunately, there was no alternative path.

_Naruto-kun, I hope you are alright!_ She thought as she took off down the hall. The door separating the hallway from the stairwell shut moments before Hinata could enter. One of the vicious tentacles erupted from the wall and Hinata narrowly dodged the assault. Hinata's Byakugan was active and she instantly transitioned her roll into a Jūken stance. She found she could only stare at the shimmering chakra barrier holding the creature's flailing appendages at bay. The rippling beauty of the barrier was undeniably out of place in the hellish false castle.

Hinata deactivated her Byakugan. The figure was standing where the barrier had been. Hinata had no idea what the man was. She could not see him with her Byakugan, which was impossible. The impossibility pointed to the rear of the room. Hinata saw the masses of bookshelves. There was no instinctive draw to the books. However, a small desk in the very rear of the room called to her. Hinata opened the first scroll she found.

"The final testament of Kubisaki Gosa…"

* * *

Neji smirked as Lee gestured wildly and recounted their C-rank mission. It wasn't the long term C-rank Naruto or Hinata-sama had received, but the mission had taken Neji beyond the walls of Konoha. When Neji was beyond the walls, he could pretend that he wasn't branded. Neji could forget the chains that bound him to the Main House.

_One day, the Seal will be gone. It will be the nameless shame of the unified Hy__ū__ga Clan. _

"Neji-san! I must commend your actions during our mission! It was inspiring to see the skill of a genius tempered by the flames of hard work!" Lee flashed a thumbs-up at his teammate and friend.

"Thank you Lee." Neji nodded politely. The Hyūga genius considered his eccentric teammate a friend, but could only stand him in short bursts. Team Guy continued through the streets of Konoha. It was Lee's turn to choose the post mission restaurant. Neji just hoped they weren't going for curry. He sighed at the thought of suffering through all that spicy food. Suddenly, Neji saw something that made the thought of Lee's favorite food downright appealing.

"Ah, Neji-san! It is good to see that you have returned from a successful mission." Neji carefully hid his emotions as Hyūga Yuudai approached.

"Good afternoon, Yuudai-sama. It is good to be back in Konoha." Tenten and Lee fought off a frown. They had spent enough time around Neji to recognize when their comrade's tone was forced.

Yuudai either did not realize the false politeness or ignored it. "Indeed. Neji-san, has Hinata-sama returned from her mission?"

"No. Hinata-sama and Uzumaki-san have not returned from their C-rank mission." Neji's eyes hardened for a fraction of a second.

"Unfortunate. I must admit that I am… uneasy about entrusting Hinata-sama's safety with one such as Uzumaki." The Hyūga Chunnin confessed.

"Your unease is misplaced, Yuudai-sama. Hinata-sama is an exceptional kunoichi and Naruto-san had dedicated himself fully to protecting Hinata-sama." Neji's tone did not change, but his choice of words made his opinion abundantly clear.

"I believe that your _familiarity_ with the Clan's Ward has a negative effect on your objectivity." The older Hyūga adopted an icy tone.

"I must respectfully disagree, Yuudai-sama. My familiarity with Naruto-san has convinced me that there would be no length Naruto-san would not travel to protect Hinata-sama. I dare say, Hinata-sama had a bond of trust with Naruto-san that _no one _could equal." Lee smiled at Neji's defense of his cousin and friend's l relationship. The smile disappeared when Lee noticed a twitch in Yuudai's hand. Yuudai appeared to be on the verge of forming a hand seal.

"Tenten, do you recall our B-rank border patrol mission from last year?" The green clad youth asked loudly.

"Huh? Oh, you mean the one where we fought the Jōmae Ninja?" Tenten wondered why Lee would bring up that mission so suddenly.

"Yes, that was a most youthful mission. I will never cease to be amazed at how you interrupted the Jōmae Chunnin's jutsu by pinning his hand to a tree with a kunai. That throw must have been from twenty yards away through a raging battle."

"I never miss." Tenten said proudly. _What are you getting at Lee?_

"That is true! Your accuracy and power are simply amazing. I wonder what would happen if the throw had been only a few feet away instead of yards. I dare say that your target would likely never be able to use hand seals again. I sometimes envy you. I must be exceedingly close to disrupt hand seals; usually within arm's reach." Lee rambled on.

Yuudai grunted. "Thank you for your time, Neji-san." The main branch Hyūga turned and stormed off.

Neji watched Yuudai make his way through the crowd. "Thank you Lee."

"You are my comrade, Neji. I believe I have changed my mind. I am no longer in the mood for curry. I have the sudden urge for barbeque." Lee put his hand on Neji's shoulder.

"What just happened? Guys! You can't keep me out of the loop like this!" Tenten jogged off after her teammates.

_Perhaps, I can bear a few more speeches on the 'Power of Youth'. _Neji grinned.

* * *

Naruto was down to three Shadow Clones. The 'Castle' was seemingly throwing everything it had at the Konoha Genin. Every time Naruto tried to replenish his Shadow Clones, the Castle would attack with dozens of tentacles or a giant snapping jaw.

_Can it sense the Fox? I've never heard of anything with the ability to do that._

A Clone cut a tentacle that was striking from the ceiling. "We're almost to the top of the stairs!"

Naruto only response was to stab at a writhing tongue with one of his kunai. The stairwell howled in pain and the walls became flesh.

"Acid!" The clone further down the stairs shouted before dispelling. Naruto and the two surviving Shadow Clones poured every bit of energy they had left into running up the stairs. The lead Clone made it through the door right before it ceased to exist.

"Shit! Sorry clone…" Naruto quickly executed a Body Replacement with the Clone that escaped the stairwell. The lights flickered and Naruto saw another stairwell. "The halls are getting narrower and there are more corners… I must be approaching the keep."

The sound of boots striking the stone floor filtered around the corner. Naruto contained his surprise well as four suits of armor carrying short swords marched around the corner.

_Tight formation. _Naruto thought as he attached an explosive tag to his last kunai. He leapt backwards as he through the kunai. The undead armor advanced; oblivious to the explosive tag. Naruto smiled for the first time since Team Four entered this nightmare. The explosion incapacitated each of the armored dead. Naruto didn't spare them a second look. He sprinted forward; determined to make as much progress as he could before the castle could recover.

"I hope everyone is alright…" Naruto thought out loud.

The lingering spirit of Kubisaki Gosa led Hinata towards the keep. Hinata was by no means comfortable following the ghost of a man who had waged war against her country. However, the Castle had yet to make any aggressive moves against her when Kubisaki was nearby. Eventually, Hinata reached a pristine room. There was a shrine housing a massive scroll.

"The Summoning Contract." Hinata whispered.

"**MY PURPOSE REMAINS. YOU WILL NOT THREATEN MY PURPOSE!"** The shrine was slowly subverted. Hinata watched as Kubisaki Gosa strained to fight back the summoned creature's influence. The room lengthened and the stone walls became organic. Hinata was forced to dodge several fleshy appendages that erupted from both the ceiling and the walls.

"Hinata-chan!" Hinata rolled away from thrashing tentacle. Her heart soared and a fresh wave of confidence flowed over her.

" Naruto-kun!" Naruto's relief at hearing Hinata's voice was evident even from the distance separating them.

Kubisaki's spirit flashed Hinata a glance that seemed to say; _Keep moving!_ The Hyūga heiress nodded at Naruto and Kubisaki and took off running towards the contract.

Naruto threw a brace of shuriken at a tongue that had just exploded from the wall. _I have to keep them away from Hinata-chan!_ He was in the process of drawing another handful of shuriken when the entire castle shook. The organic material withered in several places.

"Now's your chance, Hinata-chan!" Naruto roared.

Hinata pushed her exhaustion aside and finally arrived at the shrine. Hinata reached for the summoning contract. She managed to get a hand on the ancient scroll before a fanged maw grew from the wall. It snapped at Hinata and knocked the contract from her grip. The contract rolled open after impacting against the wall. Hinata grimaced as she grabbed her arm. One of the teeth had cut her. The spirit of Kubisaki Gosa stood over her.

_Sign it. Release it._ The basic thoughts of the ghost seemed to echo in the Hyūga's mind.

_It's the only way_. Hinata did not hesitate and quickly became the first signatory of the Chameleon Contract from outside the Kubisaki Clan. Hinata tensed when Kubisaki Gosa placed his hand on her shoulder. Her hands went through a series of hand seals on their own volition.

"Release!" Hinata cried out in a voice not her own. She used a massive amount of her own chakra and a foreign chakra that could only belong to Kubisaki Gosa.

_Thank you_. The lingering portion of the ancient Castellan whispered before fading into nothingness. Hinata swayed as the full strain of releasing such a massive summon and her possession hit her.

"Hinata!" Naruto managed to catch his teammate before she collapsed. A flash of light engulfed the two Konoha ninja. The light receded and Naruto blinked away the after effects. Naruto released a breath he didn't realize he was holding when the blond Genin saw Hinata was breathing normally.

"Yuji-sensei! Kiba! Akamaru!" Naruto called out. Akamaru barked and led the rest of Team Four to Naruto's location.

"Naruto! How badly are you hurt?" Wantanabe asked.

"Not too bad. Just some bruising. Hinata's unconscious! I think its chakra exhaustion!"

_You are controlling your fear well, Naruto._ "We have to get back to Konoha as soon as possible."

"Then we should leave right away! You're hurt, Kiba and Hinata are both unconscious!" Naruto started to pick up Hinata.

"No." Yuji held up his hand to halt Naruto's imminent outburst. "None of us are in any condition to move. Help me set up the tents. Kiba-kun is already stirring. We will move out soon, but not a moment before we are ready. Do you understand, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto nodded. "I understand sir."

_I will do whatever it takes to bring everyone home. I swear it. _Naruto promised as he looked into the night.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Here we go! Chapter 14!

You guys are amazing. Seriously, I've **never** had a chapter with such a strong response. 25 Reviews for Chapter 13 alone and over 40 new reviews total! I also lost count of new favorites and alerts. Thank you all! My fragile sense of self worth has really been reinforced! :D Please keep up the response! It really helps me craft this story! Especially the constructive reviews!

Speaking of: To everyone I sent a Review Response to, I hope you received the messages and they explained and or addressed the issues you mentioned.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you again!


	15. Chapter 15

Tazuna's bridge was swathed in an oppressive and unnatural fog. An eerie silence reigned where there should the sounds of construction and the conversation of craftsmen. Team Seven escorted the bridge builder to as secure a location as possible on the bridge.

Hatake Kakashi looked towards the incomplete span of the bridge. "Zabuza and his accomplice are waiting for us. Shino!"

"What are your orders, Kakashi-sensei?" The Aburame asked with impeccable professionalism.

"We're executing Sakura's plan. You know what to do." Kakashi spoke without allowing his voice to carry beyond his Genin team.

Shino nodded and a stream of Kikai bugs flowed from his heavy coat and spread out. The bridge builder shifted uncomfortably as he thought of _where_ those bugs were coming from. Sasuke began his final check on his equipment and Kakashi quietly asked Obito for luck.

"Sakura, stay with Tazuna but don't' use any Genjutsu until the battle starts." Kakashi ordered.

Sakura nodded and gave her client the most reassuring smile she could manage. Sasuke looked towards the end of the bridge. "How long will we be engaged before Hyūga Kō arrives?"

"It depends on how quickly Gatō makes his move against Tazuna's family." Kakashi spoke about Gatō's attempt to murder a man's family as if he was reporting the weather. The Jonin turned slightly towards his client. "Don't worry. Kō is a Hyūga Jonin. A gang of two-bit thugs won't stand a chance."

Tazuna knew he should have faith in the Konoha ninja, but Gatō was threatening his family. The terror of not knowing weighed heavily on the old man's soul.

"Sharingan Kakashi! I think we've waited long enough to finish this." Zabuza's voice came from everywhere. A shroud of killing intent as thick as the fog smothered the entire bridge. Tazuna fell to his knees under the sheer horror of the experience. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at the young girl. She was clearly terrified but struggled against her natural instincts to flee.

"We'll protect you, Tazuna-san." There was only the slightest tremor in her voice.

"Shino, Sasuke; I want the two of you to handle the fake Hunter-nin. I'll finish Zabuza." Kakashi spoke not as the perpetually late Jonin Instructor but as the Black Ops legend.

"You're a man after my own heart, Sharingan Kakashi." The Demon of the Mist mocked.

The masked ninja strode forward. He carried himself very differently from the Uchiha and the Aburame. Sasuke was a coiled spring. He was restless and waiting for battle to unleash the power of his blood. Aburame Shino was defined by his clinical precision. Every one of his actions was designed to be as efficient as possible and to reveal as little to his enemy as possible. Their opponent flowed forward. His stride was smooth and carried the unmistakable edge of regret. Regret was not the same thing as hesitation.

"I have no desire to kill either of you. Please stand aside and allow Zabuza-sama and I to fulfill our objectives." The false Hunter-nin pleaded.

"We won't abandon our mission." Sasuke replied flatly.

"My comrade is correct. It would be most advantageous for all of us if you were to stand aside. Gatō is a criminal and cannot be trusted." Shino added.

"We know." The voice revealed the emotions hidden behind the mask. "But resources are needed to achieve Zabuza-sama's ambitions. I will not stand aside."

"Then so be it!" Sasuke shouted and battle was joined.

* * *

Naruto pushed aside the flap of the tent and nodded at his Jonin instructor. "Yuji-sensei, my clones have spread out. I have them in teams of four. If they see anything, one will dispel."

Yuji gripped a medical wrap with his teeth and pulled it tight. "Good work, Naruto. Even you need a bit of rest."

"But…" Naruto started to protest. How could he rest when Hinata-chan and Kiba were still unconscious? Kiba was his best friend and Hinata was… _What _isn't _Hinata-chan to me?_

"Genin Uzumaki! If you are exhausted, you will fail in your duty to your team mates. You have your orders."

Naruto nodded and lay down. He started to sleep on his side, so that he could keep an eye on his friends.

"Genin Uzumaki, that'll cut off the circulation to your arm. I am proud of your devotion to Hinata-chan and Kiba-kun, but they will need you at your best."

"My clones will wake me up when they dispel right?" The blond practically begged his Jonin instructor for confirmation.

_I've never met anyone as loyal as you are, Uzumaki Naruto._ "I promise that they will wake you up."

Temporarily placated, Naruto finally drifted off to sleep. The boy's exhaustion was so great that his sleep was not plagued by worried dreams about his friends or dreams of any kind. Instead, the sudden rush of memories tore him from his rest.

"Yuji-sensei!" Naruto called out.

"Gah… You… are… too… loud." A voice grumbled to Naruto's left.

"Kiba!" Naruto's relief and excitement couldn't be contained and he rushed over to his friend.

"Again. Too loud." Kiba tried to sit up but swayed and nearly collapsed. Naruto steadied the Inuzuka. Akamaru had leapt up on Kiba's shoulders and was licking his partner's face.

Wantanabe Yuji entered the tent and smiled. "Good to see that you are awake, Kiba-kun."

"Thanks, Wantanabe-sensei." Kiba resisted the urge to touch the wicked bruise at the side of his head.

"You're welcome." The Jonin turned to Naruto. "Was Kiba-kun regaining consciousness the reason you called me, Naruto-kun?"

"No sir. One of my clones just dispelled. They saw evidence of a shinobi camp. It was pretty well concealed. I'm sure I would have missed it if you hadn't taught us to look for matted grass or cracked bark on the tops of tree limbs." Naruto reported.

Yuji remained impassive. "What is your best estimate of the direction and numbers of the unknown shinobi?"

Naruto remained silent as he reviewed the memories of the Shadow Clone. "Based on the evidence, the shinobi were likely headed northeast. However, any half-trained ninja can hide his tracks. If I had to guess on numbers… four tops."

"Good work Naruto-kun." Yuji complimented his student. "Has there been any change in Hinata-chan's condition?"

Naruto deflated and cast a barely controlled look of distress at the unconscious Hyūga heiress. "No… Hinata-chan hasn't recovered yet. She's breathing normally, Yuji-sensei. That's a good sign right?"

"It is. Genin Uzumaki, I want you to head outside and make a second patrol of clones. One group will head northeast and the second will head west along our route back to Konoha." Yuji had slipped into 'commander mode'. Naruto knew that his Jonin instructor wanted him to leave the tent and focus on the mission.

"Yes sir." Naruto bowed and left the tent.

"She'll wake up right?" Kiba watched him leave before casting a glance at Hinata.

"In time. Hinata-chan has severe chakra exhaustion. I was afraid it was acute chakra exhaustion at first, but her breathing normalized while you were unconscious. That doesn't mean we are out of the open yet. I want to get back to Konoha as soon as possible. Obviously, Hinata-chan's condition is far and away the most serious. Kiba-kun, you likely have a concussion, so you are not in any capacity to fight either." Yuji stated matter-of-factly.

"Understood." Kiba blinked a few times. "I think you are right 'bout the concussion, Wantanabe-sensei. My head's ringing like a bell."

"I need you to recount the last moments you remember."

Kiba groaned. "I remember getting pissed, and… scared when I saw the Castle eat Naruto and Hinata. You shouted something about the Keep and I charged some stairs."

"A statue was animated by the creature masquerading as the Castle and you were knocked unconscious by a blow to the head." Wantanabe informed Kiba of what happened. The Jonin recounted the tale Naruto had weaved about Hinata signing a Summoning Contract.

"No wonder Hinata's out. No offense, Hinata's my friend and a kickass ninja, but I didn't think she had the chakra capacity to release a Summoned Creature that big." Kiba gripped the side of his head. He felt like his brain was trying to push its way out of his head.

"She doesn't." Yuji said with a minimum of emotion. Kiba tried to stand, but Akamaru grabbed the edge of his jacket and forced him to sit back down.

"Akamaru has the right idea. Rest up for a bit, try to get your bearings somewhat settled. I'm going to check in with Naruto-kun."

"Sir, how's Naruto handling Hinata's situation?" Kiba scratched his nin-ken behind the ears before asking the question that was plaguing him.

"Currently, he is remaining focused on the mission. I am worried that the longer we remain in the field; the rasher Naruto will begin acting." Wantanabe felt that Kiba needed to be aware of the situation. The Inuzuka could be vital in keeping Naruto focused on the mission.

"But, we've completed the mission." Kiba translated Akamaru's yips and barks.

"The mission was technically completed the moment Team Four reached our hotel room. Was the creature part of our mission, Kiba-kun?"

Understanding clicked, somewhat painfully, in Kiba's mind. "No sir. Looks like we can't relax until we are standing in front of the Hokage back home, eh?"

"Kiba-kun, you have just learned one of the most important lessons a shinobi must know. Never drop your guard. Never relax until you are safely behind the walls of Konoha with those you care about." Yuji pounded a fist into his palm.

"I understand, sir." Kiba sat quietly and willed the world to stop spinning. Wantanabe exited the tent. Naruto was sitting a few feet away in a lotus position.

"Have you received any new memories from your Kage Bunshins?" Yuji asked.

"I haven't found anything that stands out, Yuji-sensei." Naruto answered without turning around. "Yuji-sensei, is it wrong that I'm more scared now than I was against the bandits or in the Castle?"

"No. The reason you are afraid is normal." Wantanabe stood behind his Jinchūriki student.

"I… I just feel helpless! Throwing Shadow Clones around won't cure Kiba's concussion! No amount of taijutsu or tracking ability will wake Hinata-chan up!" Naruto lamented.

"This is the less glamorous side of the Will of Fire. You care about your teammates greatly, and they care about you. Not every crisis you and your teammates face can be overcome standing back to back in combat. There are times were all you can do is support your teammates with your words or emotions. Kiba-kun is almost ready to move and Hinata-chan will recover. Focus on that. Focus on getting your teammates home alive."

Naruto turned around and faced his teacher. "How do you deal with it?"

"Confidence." The Jonin sat down in front of Naruto. "I have confidence that I have done all I could to prepare you for the life of a Shinobi. But more importantly, I have faith in _Team Four_. I know that my students will act in accordance with the Will of Fire. I'm not saying it is easy to watch as you fight our enemies. I was deathly worried about all of you in the Castle, but I knew in my heart that all of you would survive. The world would not allow the loss of such promising ninja."

"Thank you, Uncle Yuji." Naruto looked down and smiled.

Yuji leaned forward and ruffled the Genin's hair. "What was that? Did I hear 'Uncle Yuji'? I distinctly remember a young man who said, and I quote, 'I'm in the Academy now and you're a Jonin, Unc… Yuji-sensei! I can't call you uncle anymore, 'cause I'm a big boy."

Naruto looked up and tried to look indignant, but the flush of embarrassment undermined his stern gaze. "I was seven!"

"I know, I was there. Come on, Naruto-kun. I think Kiba-kun's ready to move out. We'll start the final leg of this little misadventure."

* * *

Waraji kicked down the door to the bridge builder's house and swept inside. Gatō had offered them a bonus if they brought both Tazuna's daughter and grandson to him. Though, the boss had promised to pay them if Waraji and Zōri at least brought one hostage.

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Zōri taunted as he drew his sword.

"We won't hurt you if you just come quietly!" Waraji smashed aside a door leading to a side room.

The two thugs were getting frustrated. They had searched a good chunk of the downstairs and found nothing. Tazuna's house was very open and there weren't many places to hide. Zōri walked up to one of the last remaining doors and was rearing back to knock it down when it exploded.

"Hakke Kūshō!" Kō shouted as he charged out of the room. He had just returned from escorting Tsunami and Inari to a neighbors when Gatō's thugs arrived.

"Holy shit! A Ninja!" Waraji screamed and charged the ninja. The criminal enforcer made it a single step before Kō suddenly appeared in front of him. The Jonin's Byakugan was active and the gangster wilted under the intimidating glare.

"Hakke Sanjūni Shō!" The Hyūga launched into a truncated variation of the legendary Hakke Rokujūyon Shō. In a heartbeat, Kō had struck Waraji thirty-two times. Kō dragged the two incapacitated criminals outside and tied them to a tree. The action was simply a precaution. Kō doubted they would escape. The target with the eye patch had all the tenketsu on his legs and most of his arms shut. The second thug wearing the beanie was unconscious and was bleeding from several cuts from where the debris from the door had struck him.

Still, it never hurt to be cautious. Kō was rushing through the trees the second he had secured the two prisoners. _Team Seven, hold on! I'm on my way._

* * *

Sasuke deflected a strike from the false Hunter-nin. He failed to retaliate before Zabuza's partner disappeared into the mist. Shino was the next to come under attack. A living barrier of Kikai bugs defended the Aburame from a flurry of senbon needles.

"Stand and fight!" Sasuke snarled into the choking mist.

"We are ninja. We strike from the shadows as tools of death and deception. Standing and fighting is for samurai." The hunter-nin threw his voice. Neither Konoha Shinobi could pinpoint his location.

"Sasuke-san." Shino whispered. "My Kikaichū have begun siphoning our enemy's chakra."

"Good work, Shino." Sasuke whispered back.

"I can track the foe. He will be attacking… now!" Shino warned. The two Konoha Shinobi rolled out of the way of the Hunter-nin's attack. Sasuke shot up and launched a spread of shuriken at Zabuza's partner. The enemy ninja dodged left, as he always did, and Shino was waiting. The Aburame struck at the agile ninja, but could only land a glancing hit.

A glancing hit was sufficient. Shino's attack, like Sasuke's shuriken, were only meant to keep their foe off balance. The enemy stumbled back as his mask cracked slightly. Sasuke was waiting and delivered a kick that, while blocked, caused the missing-nin to slide backwards.

"You are surprisingly strong. Who is it you fight for?" The ninja asked as his mask fell away. Shino and Sasuke were caught off guard by how perfectly androgynous their opponent was. Neither Konoha shinobi answered the question, so the Hunter-nin simply continued. "It seems you do not understand. People are only truly strong when they have something or someone precious to protect. I am Haku and I serve Zabuza-sama with my entire being. Who do you serve with your whole being?"

The question knocked Sasuke and Shino off balance, but Haku made no attempt to exploit the opportunity.

"I live to avenge my clan! I serve the lost Uchiha!" Sasuke roared. The overwhelming desire spurred him onwards. He could not stop here. The ghosts of hundreds of his clansmen cried out for justice. Sasuke would not fail them. Hundreds of years of history, honor, family and memories would not die on a bridge in a forgotten country. The Uchiha would be restored!

Shino did not answer and moved to support his comrade. Haku fell back and used his bloodline ability to create dozens of ice senbon. The bombardment forced Sasuke and Shino apart once again.

"Demonic Ice Mirrors." Haku whispered after making a hand-seal that was unknown in Konoha. A dome of mirrors materialized. Sasuke and Shino were completely cut off from the outside. They were on their own. "We are similar, Uchiha. The pain of being torn away from our families… That is a pain that will likely never heal. It is a shame we met as enemies. If we had met elsewhere, I believe we could have been kindred spirits."

Haku leapt into the mirrors Sasuke cursed under his breath that he hadn't been able to intercept Haku.

"Sasuke-san, my Kikai will not last long in this cold. They will continue their work as long as they can." Shino reported. His colony had sacrificed many Kikai to drain the enemy. Shino hoped that the amount his allies had drained would combine with the no doubt intensive chakra drain of the technique.

"When you see your family again, tell them I harbored you no ill will." The nearly two dozen reflections said as one.

* * *

Hanabi shivered as the wind suddenly picked up. The wind wasn't unbearably cold. Instead, it was merely one more thing that caused her to worry. The worry was eating at Hanabi and her focus was off. She was still leaps and bounds ahead of most of her class, but the slight drop in performance wasn't missed by her instructor.

"Is something wrong, Hanabi?" Mizuki asked.

"I'm fine, Mizuki-sensei. I was just thinking about Hinata-nee and Naruto-nii-san. They are on a C-rank and I don't know when they'll be back." Hanabi answered her teacher. She didn't want to admit that she was worried or scared.

"Hanabi, I am sure your elder sister and…" Mizuki paused. He had to choose his words carefully. The Hokage was already watching him because of the incident with Naruto's Genin graduation exam. Mizuki also had no desire to anger Konoha's largest clan on top of the God of Shinobi. "Uzumaki-san are fine. Their mission was a C-rank, correct?"

"It was an escort mission. I did not have much time to talk with Hinata-nee before she left. I believe it was to the Land of Honey." Hanabi answered. It was only a C-rank mission and Hanabi hadn't given any specifics. She hadn't broken any shinobi rules.

"Ah, that is probably why they are not back yet." Mizuki smiled. "That is quite the journey, even for Shinobi. They were escorting a merchant caravan. Civilians move slowly in the best of situations. A caravan would take even longer."

"I'm sure that's why it's taking so long, Mizuki-sensei. Ano, if you don't mind me asking… How do you know Team Four was escorting a merchant caravan?" Hanabi seemed to accept the answer, but she could still not shake her nervousness.

"That is a fair question, Hanabi. I'm sure you know that I was temporarily assigned to assisting the Hokage with assigning and accepting missions. I was there when the merchant caravan requested an escort." Mizuki explained.

"Ok. I guess I just want my sister and kinda-sorta big brother back safe." Hanabi said in an uncharacteristically childish way.

"Kinda-sorta?" Mizuki actually chuckled.

"Well, Naruto-nii-san has always been around. Father and Uncle both like him and treat him like he's family. Oh! Naruto-nii-san is the only person I've ever seen make Neji-nii-san laugh! And he makes Hinata-nee happy." Hanabi blathered excitedly. Mizuki had really helped her calm her nerves. There was no way anything bad would happen! Naruto and Hinata would definitely fight and protect each other. They'd all come back and everything would be fine!

Hanabi's internal reassurance blinded her to naked disgust that Mizuki quickly buried. The teacher had finally lost all hope for Konoha in that moment. How could such a great and powerful clan fall under the influence of a demon? Couldn't they see how insidiously it was infecting their Clan? Mizuki forced out some hollow reassurances to the Hyūga and wandered off.

_I hope this next drop will give me enough money to retire and get the hell out of this rotting hole._

* * *

Team Four was moving cautiously through the forests. Naruto's discovery of possible shinobi activity had put the conscious Konoha ninja on edge. Yuji knew that his team was still close enough to the border of the Land of Honey that encountering a group of Kumo nin probing the Land of Fire's territory was a real possibility. The Village Hidden in the Clouds likely had not given up on their quest to secure the Byakugan. A team of Genin with a wounded Jonin instructor carrying an unconscious Hyūga girl would be too tempting a target to pass up. The summoning scroll currently strapped to Wantanabe's back would be an even bigger draw.

"Wantanabe-sensei, Akamaru says he smells something nearby. Whatever it is wants to mask its scent." Kiba piped up.

_We are being tracked by Shinobi. _"Genin Inuzuka, I need an estimate on distance on the scent sources."

"I'll ask Akamaru to be more specific. I tried focusing some chakra into my nose, but it hurt way too much." Kiba was still feeling woozy from his blow to the head. His attempt to use his chakra enhanced sense of smell had been a disaster. The pain was so intense he nearly vomited.

"Yuji-sensei, should I make some more Shadow Clones?" Naruto asked. He looked back to the Shadow Clone carrying Hinata.

"No, Genin Uzumaki. Deception is a virtue for our profession." Wantanabe had shifted from his friendly Jonin Instructor persona to the stern commanding officer persona.

"Understood, sir." Naruto adopted his Jonin sensei's demeanor. The whiskered Genin greatly respected his commanding officer.

"Genin Inuzuka and Uzumaki, we are moving out. It is imperative we reach the village of Hidakagawa quickly." Wantanabe commanded sharply.

"Sir!" Kiba and Naruto acknowledged their superior. Team Four moved out with urgency. Hinata's condition and Kiba's concussion prevented them from moving through the trees. Wantanabe's wounds had also not fully healed. They were very vulnerable.

"Smoke!" Naruto alerted his teammates. "It looks like from where the bandit barricade was!"

"An attack is imminent. Prepare for combat. Genin Inuzuka, protect yourself and Genin Hinata. Genin Uzumaki, engage and eliminate all hostile forces." As the specter of a true battle loomed, Naruto had trouble connecting the hardened veteran in front of him with the kind man who had ruffled Naruto's hair only a little while before.

"Wantanabe-sensei, why would they put the barricade to the torch?" Kiba asked. It didn't make any sense. Why advertise the fact that you were waiting in ambush?

"It's a distraction. They'll be hitting us from either the south or northeast." Yuji stated simply. "Double time!"

Naruto, Akamaru, Kiba and Naruto's clone acknowledged the order and started moving as quickly as they could. It was a feeling Naruto was not used to; being hunted. The tension was a suffocating as anything Naruto had ever experienced. Naruto would not be concerned normally, but Hinata and Kiba were in no condition to fight. That added a complication and a weight to the situation that Team Four couldn't afford.

_No, I have to remain focused. I have an objective. Reach the village of_ _Hidakagawa. That is what matters. Protect my team until we reach the village. Everyone makes it. Everyone will live. I will not fail them._

Uzumaki Naruto steeled himself. Off to the side, Kiba growled softly at Akamaru. The Inuzuka and the nin-ken were trying to take stock of the situation.

'_I know Akamaru. There hasn't been a single sound out of the woods for several minutes. We're definitely being hunted.'_

'_Naruto was right. The enemy pack is no more than four. Scent's weak though.'_

"Wantanabe-sensei, Akamaru says there are no more than four enemy Ninja out there. Their scent is too weak to judge distances." Kiba reported.

"Maintain surveillance. What is your assessment?" Yuji responded with crisp precision.

"The concussion makes it near impossible to use chakra to enhance my senses. I can tell you that Akamaru's right about there being enemy nin out there. Unfortunately, I only catch bits of their scent when the wind shifts." Kiba confessed.

"Report _immediately_ if anything changes." The Jonin commanded.

"Sir!"

_I don't like this. Why are they waiting?_ Kiba grimaced at both the uncomfortable thought and the constant throbbing from his injury. _I wish the bastards would just attack. Anything is better than just waiting for an ambush._

* * *

Kakashi narrowed his eyes and spoke to Zabuza. "I told you. I have seen your future and it is death."

"Hmph. Are you sure that it was my death you saw?" Zabuza grinned viciously, though with the Mist as thick as it was there was no way Kakashi would see it. He also knew that Kakashi would never turn to face the source of Zabuza's amusement. Kakashi, after all, was widely considered one of the leading candidates to replace the God of Shinobi when the old Kage finally bit the dust. There was no way he'd be so incompetent. Hatake Kakashi did not disappoint the former Swordsman of the Mist. The Copy Nin flashed through a series of hand-seals.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" A massive fireball illuminated the gloom of the bridge. Zabuza brought his Executioner's Blade up to block the fireball. Kakashi followed in the wake of the destructive ninjutsu and stabbed with a kunai at Zabuza's shoulder. The Konoha shinobi's strike was very precise. A kunai was too wide and short to reach the spinal column from Kakashi's angle of attack. It was, however, perfect for rendering the shoulder unusable without powerful medical ninjutsu or outright surgery. Momochi dropped to one knee and dropped his sword. The Demon of the Mist grabbed Kakashi's wrist and threw the Konoha ninja.

Kakashi righted his fall and landed on his feet. "Thanks, I needed a better view anyway." Kakashi was barely able to keep the surprise off his face as he saw the ice dome in the distance.

"As I said, Sharingan Kakashi, can you be sure it was _my_ death you saw or that of your students?" Zabuza taunted. The Swordsman was impressed when he realized why Kakashi was being so talkative. They were using sound to track each other.

"No, my vision is clear. The death I saw was yours. You should know that it wasn't the only thing I saw coming you haven't." Kakashi retorted lazily.

"And what's that?" Zabuza was growing tired of Kakashi's ham-fisted attempts at psychological warfare. Instead of a mocking reply from Hatake, Zabuza was thrown off balance by a wall of compressed air.

"How are you holding up Kakashi-sempai?" Kō asked as he landed in a Jūken stance.

_Shit, the Byakugan._ Zabuza thought darkly. _It can see through Kirigakure no Jutsu. I've seen Ao in action enough to know my main advantage is gone._

"It's been six hours since I read my book. I'm a bit bummed out. What do you say we finish this?"

Kō only nodded in response. Zabuza entered into a new stance. He knew that as long as the Hyūga was around the odds were firmly in Konoha's favor. The Hyūga had to die and die quickly.

"Yes, sempai!" Kō was moving the second he spoke.

The foresight saved the young Jonin's life. Momochi Zabuza had closed the distance and would have cleaved Kō in half. The sheer power of the strike caused the cobblestones to crack. Kō barely had time to react before Zabuza's follow up attack arrived.

"Kaiten!" The chakra outburst deflected the blade just enough for Kō to avoid the worst of the attack. The blue hemisphere stood out like a beacon and allowed Kakashi to close the distance. Zabuza used his exceptional awareness to counter Kakashi's advance. The Demon of the Mist forced the Copy Nin back with a vertical swipe of the Executioner's Blade. A horizontal attack would have not stopped Kakashi. He could have simply ducked the swing and had an unopposed attack opportunity. Kō finished his Kaiten and analyzed his enemy.

_Zabuza's sword is designed for exceptional attack range. If I can get close, the sword will be useless._

Kō was confident in his taijutsu. After all, Jūken was the most powerful taijutsu style in the entire world. The Hyūga Jonin's confidence drove him forward. He rolled out of the way of one of Zabuza's attacks and managed to land several blows to Momochi's right leg.

_I've cut his mobility down. Now we can finish h…_ Kō was not able to finish his thought. Zabuza used the butt of his sword's hilt to smash Kō's face.

"Do you think you're the first person to think of that?" Zabuza growled. "Idiots like you piss me off. _All_ aspects of the sword are why it is a weapon. Swords are so much more than simply the blade."

Kō felt his Byakugan deactivate on its own. The wound to his face was drawing too much blood away from his eyes. The Byakugan couldn't sustain itself due to the combination of blood loss and the fact that Kō was teetering on the edge of consciousness.

Zabuza said something that Kō's addled brain could not make out. One thing was certain; the Demon of the Mist was mocking the Hyūga's imminent demise.

* * *

Akamaru paused a few feet in front of the pack. There was something on the wind he couldn't place. It was unfamiliar. Out here, far from Konoha, the unfamiliar was a threat. And right now, the unfamiliar was very close. The young ninja dog fell back on its training and started to growl.

"They're here!" Kiba shouted as he translated the growls.

The warning saved Naruto's life. Naruto rolled out of the way instinctively and barely dodged a flurry of shuriken. The Clone carrying Hinata immediately dropped to the ground and shielded the unconscious girl. Yuji had just completed his own hand-seals.

"Doton: Doryūsō!" As soon as the last syllable left Wantanabe lips, an enormous stone spear tore into the underbrush. Naruto did not waste any time and flooded the area with Shadow Clones. The Clones rushed in the direction of the attack.

"There are four attackers. One is using Raiton jutsu. Three are using basic jutsus." Naruto reported as the memories of the destroyed clones filtered back.

Wantanabe was about give an order to Kiba to take Hinata and fall back when the four enemy ninja charged out of the forest. Yuji fired off a second Doryūsō. Naruto replenished the ranks of his Kage Bunshins. Kiba attempted to throw some kunai at the hostile forces. The combination of his disorientation and the awareness of Kiba's target caused the throw to miss. It did, however, draw the attacker's attention away from the Shadow Clone protecting Hinata. The clone was determined to take Hinata out of the line of fire.

Naruto had limited the number of Kage Bunshins for the second wave. He had learned the hard way during a spar with Neji that an overload of memories could be just as debilitating as a punch to the gut.

_Who are these guys? They're equipment is hodgepodge. Obviously, they are missing nin. But why is the old guy so familiar?_

Wantanabe blocked a half-trained strike from one of the younger missing nin. In a fluid motion, he grabbed the girl's wrist and punched her hard in the gut. The girl's pale green eyes went wide. Yuji buried the troubling realization that the ninja he had just devastated had nearly the same color eyes as his daughter. Now was not the time for sentimentality.

Now was the time to kill. Wantanabe owed these criminals no pity or mercy. Yuji was going to kill them so that he could tuck his children into bed when he returned to Konoha. He was going to kill them so that Kiba could fulfill his dream of becoming the greatest tracker in his clan's history. He was going to kill them so Hinata and Naruto could discover the depths of their new found relationship. These criminals had to die so that Team Four could have a future.

Yuji reared back and shifted his hand from a fist to a palm strike. Unfortunately, the repeated drawing back of his arm aggravated the acid burn he received from the summoned creature. He involuntarily hesitated from the pain. A second missing nin attempted to take advantage of the opening, but Yuji quickly countered by executing a perfect snap kick. The Jonin was rewarded by the snapping of bone. Wantanabe had broken the boy's ribs. Again, Yuji felt a fresh wave of pain coming from his burn.

"Raiton: Teishi no Tenjo Kai!" Wantanabe heard the voice call out the attack. An arc of raw lightning erupted from the eldest missing nin. Naruto's few surviving clones were the first to feel the wrath of the jutsu. The lightning leapt from one body to another so quickly, that it managed to travel forward despite dispelling the Kage Bunshins.

"Doton: Doryūheki!" Yuji called upon the B-rank jutsu faster than he ever had before. Earth Release techniques were naturally weak against Lightning based attacks. This was basic elemental knowledge. However, Yuji knew he could not the full power of the attack. It took the lightning a fraction of the second to punch through Wantanabe's Earth wall. The fraction was all Yuji needed to get out of the way.

_The girl!_ Yuji's mind screamed as he saw a secondary arc flow through the green-eyed missing nin. The impact of the Raiton Jutsu threw Wantanabe nearly ten feet through the air.

Naruto howled in agony as he was also struck by the technique. He was thrown several feet and landed in a crumpled heap. As his vision faded in and out, he caught a glimpse of Hinata. Naruto's Clone had managed to hide her in a depression in the ground. Thus, the attack did not strike her.

"H…Hinata-…chan." Naruto wheezed. Every breath hurt and every time his vision slipped into the black, he could hear the sound of water dripping from a pipe.

Naruto tried desperately to stand, but was truly incapacitated. The missing nin strolled over to where Naruto writhed in pain next to the unconscious Hinata. The older ninja had a single visible nearly black eye. His other eye was hidden behind a mess of bandages that covered most of the top of his head. Naruto thought he recognized the strange flak jacket he wore.

"I've waited for this day for _years._ This time… this time Hiashi will not be here to save you."

* * *

Neji took a deep breath before knocking on the door to his father's study. It had been nearly a day since Yuudai had nearly activated Neji's Caged Bird Seal. Neji had studied the hated seal enough to know all the accessible legal and technical information on the Seal. Yuudai had nearly activated it in public. Even _threatening_ to activate the Seal in public was a serious violation of protocol.

"Enter." Hizashi gave permission.

Neji slid open the door and saw that his Uncle was with his father. "If this is a bad time, I may return later."

Hizashi and Hiashi exchanged glances. "There is no problem, my son. Your Uncle and I were simply being brothers." Hizashi motioned to the remaining open seat.

Neji bowed and took his seat. "Thank you father." He turned his attention to Hiashi. "Uncle."

"It is good to see you Neji." Hiashi's nod was barely perceptible.

"The same, Uncle." Neji paused to collect his thoughts. Perhaps his Uncle's presence would actually be beneficial. "I must inform you of an incident that occurred yesterday."

Hiashi remained impassive at Neji's statement. Hizashi, however, felt worry snake around his stomach. Neji took a deep breath before continuing.

"Yesterday, Hyūga Yuudai nearly activated my juinjutsu." Neji did not whisper. He did not sneer or rage. He merely stated a fact. All of Neji's closest friends and family were well aware the prodigy's hatred for the juinjutsu. Neji managed to remain calm because he knew what would have happened if Yuudai had activated the seal.

Tenten and Lee would have killed him then and there and damn the consequences.

"What?" Hizashi hissed. Neji looked up and saw the utter rage and hate etched on his father's face.

"Even attempting to activate the juinjutsu outside of the compound is a gross violation of protocol." Hiashi was clearly struggling to keep his own anger in check.

"He did not succeed. My teammate Rock Lee was… surprisingly subtle in his threats." Neji couldn't help but smile, barely, at the memory.

Hizashi was still on the verge of seeking out Yuudai. _He threatened my son!_ Hiashi was angry for similar reasons. Neji was his nephew. Yuudai had also violated the protocols of the Hyūga Clan.

"Nephew, you said that your teammate witnessed Yuudai's attempt." Hiashi stated as calmly as possible.

"Yes, uncle. Lee and Tenten were both present. However, I believe only Lee saw Yuudai's attempt." Neji recounted.

"Neji, we will need to speak with your teammates." Hiashi politely commanded.

"Of course, Uncle." Neji bowed his head slightly.

"Neji…" Hizashi looked up. His eyes were hard, but were not directed at his son. "We will speak in more detail later."

"We will, father. I will take my leave…" Neji rose from his seat after his father and uncle nodded in assent.

The younger Hyūga twin watched his son leave. "They have dug their graves. _No one_ threatens my son with that **abomination**!"

"This act will not go unpunished. I swear this, my brother." Hiashi assured his twin. An alien feeling of dread ate at the Clan head. "My daughter…"

Hizashi felt his anger wash away. He hadn't heard his brother use that tone since the night Hinata had nearly been kidnapped by Kumo. "What is it, Hiashi?"

"Hinata… I'm not there to protect her this time…"

* * *

Sasuke panted as he struggled to dodge another rain of senbon. Haku was too fast to counter and combining his speed with his mirrors made him nearly untouchable. Shino shakily rose to his feet. The two Konoha shinobi had reached their limits. Truthfully, they had pushed themselves beyond their limits minutes ago.

"The last of my Kikai bugs attached to the enemy have died. We can only hope they have drained enough chakra." Shino winced. The Aburame was in as rough a shape as Sasuke. Shino's clothes were torn and matted with blood. Even his ever-present sunglasses had been discarded and crushed underfoot during the desperate dodging.

"That's our last hope." Sasuke grimaced as a senbon fell from a shallow wound. The reflections of Haku began to stir.

_Here he comes again. Center yourself, Sasuke. You will only survive if you _see through it! Sasuke thought to himself. As the thought concluded, Sasuke saw the world in a clarity he never thought possible. Haku seemed to be moving at 'normal' speed. The difference gave Sasuke the opportunity to successfully dodge the attack.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Sasuke defiantly announced his attack. The Fireball struck Haku in the leg. The false Hunter-nin rolled in one of the many puddles to extinguish the flames before leaping back in the Demonic Mirrors.

"It seems you have an advanced bloodline as well. To think that you awakened it during battle…" Haku spoke respectfully.

_The Sharingan… I've awakened it! No! I can celebrate taking another step toward Itachi later!_ Sasuke thought as he cast a glance over to Shino. The Aburame nodded once.

"I am Uchiha." Sasuke allowed himself a moment of pride.

"Then I must end this." Haku did not reveal his fatigue or the pain from Sasuke's Fire Release technique.

_I must keep their focus on me. I can't let them know I no longer possess the necessary chakra to maintain my Demonic Ice Mirrors. Zabuza-sama, forgive me for discovering my limits._

* * *

The sound of chirping birds filled the air. Zabuza felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. The dual warnings allowed the swordsman to dodge the attack. Momochi easily leapt away from Kakashi's straight line attack. Zabuza even managed to slightly cut Kakashi as he dodged the attack. The Demon of the Mist smirked behind the bandages covering his face.

"You missed, Kakashi."

"And you didn't learn anything from when my students forced you to release me from the Water Prison jutsu." Kakashi countered.

_I only used the Chidori instead of the Raikiri, but I still don't have much chakra to spare. I think I can use the Raikiri two more times._

Zabuza hummed as he looked over Kakashi's shoulder. "Clever. You just wanted me away from the Hyūga. Can't have his eyes falling into enemy hands, eh Sharingan Kakashi?"

"It's not about his bloodline. I won't let my comrades die." Kakashi spat at his opponent.

"You don't have a choice…" Zabuza's voice melted away into the choking mist.

Kakashi could no longer rely on Kō's eyes to guide him to Zabuza. So, he had to take a different path. Kakashi had allowed Zabuza to cut him. The scent of his blood would doom the Demon of the Mist.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

Haku leapt clear of the collapsing mirror. The last survivor of his exterminated clan felt his breath catch in his throat despite his body screaming for oxygen. He no longer possessed the chakra to maintain his ultimate technique. This was a completely alien experience to Haku.

_How could I have failed Zabuza-sama so completely?_

The two Konoha shinobi were in worse condition. Each young man had dozens of wounds and could barely stand. These two Genin had pushed Haku beyond what he had thought possible. They were his enemies, but he could respect them. Haku readied his senbon and prepared to end this arduous battle.

A distant growling ripped Haku's attention away from his opponents. "Zabuza-sama!"

Haku ran to Zabuza's position as quickly as he could. Sasuke attempted to pursue, but his wounds and exhaustion stayed his feet. The Uchiha bit back a pained curse as he watched Haku disappear into the mists.

A fresh wave of pain shot through Haku's leg. The burn from the Uchiha's Fire Release was a greater hindrance than Haku imagined. As he pushed through the mist, Haku swore he heard the growling of dogs and a strange cackling sound.

"Give up." The voice of the Konoha Jonin commanded. "You're future is death."

_I must hurry! _Haku screamed in his mind. He finally got close enough to see Zabuza. Haku cried out to his master, but it was too late. A pack of dogs of various sizes had Zabuza pinned in place.

And the Konoha Jonin was charging at Zabuza with an attack so powerful the chakra was not only visible, but crackled like thunder.

Haku cry became a scream of agony as the summoned dogs dispelled in smoke. The jutsu had pierced Zabuza through the chest. Haku watched his savior, his reason for living, cough blood as the Konoha shinobi wrenched his hand free. Haku collapsed and clawed his way over to Zabuza.

"Zabuza-sama…" Haku silently pleaded for this all to be a horrible nightmare. The world would not steal his purpose so cruelly would it? "Please…"

Kakashi watched the young man mourn Zabuza. The boy's heart and mind were clearly at war. The heart refused to accept Zabuza's death and the mind wailed in despair at the truth.

"He died as a true Shinobi. Zabuza died without fear and without abandoning his beliefs."

Kakashi's words barely reached the false Hunter-nin. The young man looked up at the Copy Nin with dead eyes. "You took my purpose from me. You stole the _one person_ who gave my life meaning."

"Would you look at _that?" _A voice sneered in the distance. Haku and Kakashi turned and looked towards the source of the newly arrived voice. The mist quickly cleared without Zabuza's chakra to maintain it.

On the other end of the bridge, Gatō stood in front of a large group of mercenaries and criminals. The shipping magnate had his arms crossed in front of him. Gatō wasn't trying to go unnoticed for an ambush. He was trying his damnedest to look pompous. This wasn't about subtlety. It was about projecting power.

"My my, Zabuza's dead? And here I thought demons were supposed to be eternal?" Gatō chuckled at his own words. "Some demon. Well, at least I don't have to pay him."

"Do… do not belittle Zabuza-sama." Haku barely whispered. Kakashi cast a sympathetic glance to the broken young man beside him. The Jonin nearly let a relieved sigh escape when he saw Shino and Sasuke move the unconscious Kō behind an enormous crate and out of Gatō's sight. The last thing Team Seven needed was for a criminal like Gatō to realize there was a knocked out Main Branch Hyūga nearby.

"You're going to have to speak up, child. I can't hear you over the thoughts of how much money I'm going to make selling Zabuza's sword and head back to Kiri." Gatō's voice rose and the mass of criminals laughed.

In that moment, Haku truly broke for the second time. His purpose had been stolen and now, Gatō was demeaning Zabuza's sacrifice. "**Do not belittle Zabuza-sama!**"

Haku called upon every sliver of chakra he still possessed for one final act of fealty to his master. Every inch of bridge in front of Haku, Kakashi and Zabuza's body erupted. In many ways, it resembled a field of corn. However, instead of corn there were ice spires. The few criminals who were not entombed in the ice were impaled on the twisted pikes.

"I will join you soon… master." Haku collapsed backwards. He cried blood as his body shut down from lack of chakra. "Jonin-san."

Kakashi knelt next to the boy. "What is it?"

"Please, do not claim Zabuza-sama in the manner of Kiri. And… if I may continue to be… selfish… May I be buried next to him?" Haku wheezed.

"I can do that." Kakashi promised.

"Thank you." Haku smiled faintly before turning once again to Zabuza. "Soon."

Kakashi closed Haku's eyes for the last time. "Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura's voice captured his attention and Kakashi looked up.

Sakura was leading Tazuna and a huge number of Wave's citizens. The crowd gasped at the ice field Haku created.

"What… what is that?" Tazuna eventually asked.

Kakashi sighed and looked at the bodies of Zabuza and Haku. "One final act of loyalty."

* * *

Naruto struggled to rise to his feet, but the aftereffects of the attack were still playing havoc with his motor functions. The missing-nin shook his head at Naruto's attempts. He was about to kick Naruto when Akamaru intervened. The ninja dog leapt at the man's throat and even managed to scratch his shoulder. Unfortunately, Akamaru was tossed aside by the enemy.

"A…Akamaru!" Naruto cried out as he saw his canine teammate land awkwardly.

_He's targeting us specifically. Why do I know him?_

"You Jinchūriki are tenacious aren't you? I would never have imagined a child surviving my attack." The man actually had admiration in his voice.

"How…" Naruto coughed as feeling returned to his extremities.

"I was the Head Ninja of Kumogakure! I was the Raikage's right hand…" He looked down at Naruto. "Do you think you are the only one of your kind? There are several in this world that have a similar burden."

The man's declaration stunned Naruto and the young man could give no voice to his astonishment.

"You don't remember me, do you? Then again, you were a young boy when you tore down my life. But that failing will be washed away. I will complete my mission, even if it has been a decade."

"You!" Naruto hissed as the memories came roaring back. Determination filled Naruto's veins and he managed to stand. "I… I won't allow you, Shimizu Den."

Den narrowed his eye and charged. He brushed aside Naruto's attempts at defending himself. It took only a half-hearted punch to the boy's chin for Den to knock Naruto aside. Shimizu Den walked over to where Hinata was laying. "You are the key that will allow me to return home. To return to my children."

"Y…you… I… won't let you…" Naruto growled as he clawed his way towards where Den had picked up Hinata. Shimizu scoffed at the boy's noble but ultimately doomed to fail attempt to protect the Hyūga heiress.

"I have tracked the heiress for years. I have _demeaned_ myself taking jobs for scum just so I could keep my agents in Konoha employed. You will not stop me from going home! And I will go home to make Kumo the world's greatest power. More than that, I will see my children again!"Den kicked the stubborn Genin out of the way.

Satisfied there would be no more interruptions, the former Head Ninja prepared to leave the ambush site. Den was gathering chakra into his legs for a powerful leap when he was knocked from his feet by an explosion of power and raw killing intent. Shimizu felt an instinctive and primal fear grip his heart. Then he heard a voice that caused fear to chill the entirety of his soul.

"**GIVE HER BACK!**"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Here we go, Chapter 15! A lot happened in this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! Please continue the absolutely amazing response. You guys rock!**  
**


	16. Chapter 16

"**I TOLD YOU TO GIVE HINATA-CHAN BACK!****"**

The Jinchūriki's roar pinned Shimizu Den in place like a physical weight. The missing nin could hardly think straight as the full fury of the boy's Killing Intent swarmed over him. Den managed to force himself to stand. It was then he saw the raw and unrefined power of a Jinchūriki. Shimizu had witnessed a fully transformed Jinchūriki. Yugito and Killer Bee had reached an accord with their Bijū and could fully tap into the incredible power of a tailed beast.

This was different. The Konoha Jinchūriki obviously had no such accord. Den fought the urge to be petrified by his terror at the uncontained fury leaking from the child. No, it wasn't just fury. There was something else that Den struggled to recognize under the assault of demonic chakra and killing intent.

It was fear.

The Jinchūriki was afraid. Den was not the source of the fear, not directly. The Kyūbi Jinchūriki was completely terrified of losing the Hyūga heiress. Shimizu felt his rational functions returning as he realized the Jinchūriki was afraid. Unfortunately, that fear made Den's position even more precarious. He remembered the only time he had ever seen Yugito enter an uncontrolled Jinchūriki state. She had fallen back to the instincts of the Bijū within her. The damage had been catastrophic and it took a fully transformed Killer Bee to cow Yugito into a controllable state. Den flicked a glance to the unconscious Hyūga heiress.

'_She would likely be the only one to break through the Bijū's hold on the Jinchūriki's emotions,'_ Den thought calmly as years of experience and training reasserted themselves.

"**DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING HER!"** The Jinchūriki shouted. Den began to analyze the child and his belief that the Jinchūriki was horrified of losing the girl. He quickly realized that such devotion went beyond mere duty.

That realization caused Shimizu Den to further doubt his chances of survival.

* * *

Kō groaned and tried to sit up. A wave of pain shot through his face and his groan doubled in intensity. The Jonin could hear sounds of celebration outside his window. He nearly activated his Byakugan, but something felt a bit off so Kō decided against it.

"Welcome back, Kō," Kakashi said idly from the doorway. The Copy Ninja had his face buried in his favorite book.

"How long was I out?" The Hyūga asked groggily.

"Oh, several hours," Kakashi explained lazily.

"That's not too bad. I think I'll need to see a Hyūga Apothecary. Something's off with my eyes," Kō said with a hint of panic in his voice.

"Your body is recovering from the blow to the face from Zabuza's sword. There are a few fractures in your cheek. I stabilized them with a medical ninjutsu I know, but you'll need a full-blown medic nin to fully heal the damage," Kakashi said while turning a page in his book. Kō breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened after I lost consciousness?" Kō asked in an attempt to distract himself from his fear. As a Hyūga, the safety and health of his eyes were of paramount importance. Kō would have been able to cope with the loss of an arm much easier than any potential ocular damage.

Kakashi put aside his beloved book for a moment and explained to Kō the events that had transpired after Zabuza had knocked Kō out. Haku's sacrifice simultaneously saddened and impressed the Hyūga Jonin. Kō, however, was mainly concerned for the welfare of the Genin.

"My team only suffered minor injuries," Kakashi assured the Hyūga. '_Only because the fake Hunter-__nin wasn't aiming to kill them,' _Kakashi mentally added.

"Thank the First for that," Kō breathed in relief.

"True. I think our debriefing will be interesting," The senior Jonin said as he retrieved his precious book and flipped to a new page.

"What happened?" Kō asked with a hint of concern.

"Sasuke activated his Sharingan," Kakashi revealed.

Kō rose to his feet and stretched a bit. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he was eager to get back to Konoha and leave Wave behind. It was probably selfish, but he was worried about his eyes. Kō was also having trouble shaking a nameless worry about his little brother.

"Naruto," Kō whispered.

"Thank you, Kō-san, for looking after him," Kakashi suddenly said. His voice was filled with a level of emotion Kō had never heard from the legendary Copy Ninja. "I…had always planned on taking Naruto-kun in after I completed my time in ANBU Black Ops."

Kō nodded and was about to speak, but Kakashi continued after a moment's pause. "I don't know how much you truly know about Naruto's heritage,"

"I know his lineage," The Hyūga stated quietly. It was hard to believe Naruto was the son of the Yondaime Hokage, even after all these years. Kō had wanted to tell Naruto his heritage so many times. Once, after Hiromi-sama's tragic death, Kō nearly broke down and told Naruto his parentage in a moment of weakness.

"His father was the greatest man I have ever had the privilege of knowing," Kakashi stated in a distant voice. As was often the case, Hatake Kakashi was revisiting his own tortured past.

"The Yondaime was the greatest of us all. His death was like ripping the heart out of Konoha," Kō said with apologetic reverence. Kakashi nodded a bit numbly. The Hyūga Jonin realized the senior Jonin wouldn't continue speaking without a prompt. "We will just have to ensure Naruto is a shinobi his parents would have been proud of."

Kakashi chuckled behind his mask. "You didn't know Minato-sensei or Kushina-oba-chan like I did. They would have been so proud of Naruto, even if he wanted to be a carpenter or simple tradesmen."

"Now that I am awake, when will Team 7 return to Konoha?" Kō asked quickly to prevent Kakashi from losing himself in his memories.

"You seem to have your wits about you. We can head out as soon as we collect my Genin," Kakashi responded in his usual laid-back tone.

"Then let us depart," Kō said firmly. Kakashi nodded and the two Jonin headed downstairs. Sasuke, Shino, and Sakura were talking with Tsunami. Tazuna was chatting with Inari.

"Tazuna-san," Kakashi greeted. The bridge builder ruffled his grandson's hair.

"Kakashi-san, I must thank you again for saving us from Gatō's tyranny," Tazuna said with a bow.

"There is no need to thank us. We simply performed our duty as shinobi of the Leaf," Kakashi said evenly.

"You could have returned to Konoha after the Demon Brothers attacked. Instead, you pushed forward," Tazuna countered. Kakashi smiled behind his mask and nodded.

"It was my students' decision," The Copy Nin found himself enjoying the verbal back and forth with the civilian engineer.

"As Kakashi-sempai said, we merely did our duty as shinobi," Kō stepped in. Tazuna and Kakashi exchanged one last grin.

"You all will always be welcomed in the Land of Waves," Tsunami said from the kitchen. Team Seven and Kō bowed in thanks. The Konoha shinobi departed after a few more platitudes. Tazuna and his family sat in silence for a few moments before the old engineer ran his hand through his thinning hair.

"You know, we never named the bridge," Tazuna said idly. "I was thinking naming it after the shinobi."

"We should name it after Kaiza," Inari said firmly. "The Shinobi…they protected us from Gatō and that allowed the bridge to be completed. But, the bridge is a symbol of hope. Dad was the first person to really give us hope."

Tsunami walked over to her son and embraced him in a hug. "Your…dad would be very proud of you."

"The Great Kaiza Bridge has a nice ring to it. We'll christen our Hope tomorrow. Inari, would you do the honors?" Tazuna asked.

"I'll do it for dad," Inari said in a bittersweet tone.

"He would be so proud. You haven't fished since he…left us, have you?" Tazuna asked. He knew Kaiza's death would always be a tender subject for his grandson. Inari just shook his head. "I'd think Kaiza would want you to fish again. Grab your rod, we'll catch dinner."

Tsunami smiled and watched her beloved son and father rush out the front door. She returned to the kitchen and finished washing the dishes. She looked to the west with a smile as she thought of all Konoha had done for the Land of Waves. However, as her gaze drifted slightly north, she felt a chill in her soul. It was an ill omen. Tsunami prayed the catastrophe brewing in the west would remain there. Wave had suffered enough.

* * *

Naruto growled as the strange voice revealed the vile plans Kumo had for Hinata-chan. He would never allow those horrors to happen.

Naruto would die first.

Naruto circled Den and was attempting to position himself between Hinata and the former Head Ninja.

**He must suffer. Den seeks to _defile_ her. **

Naruto's rage peaked again and he could no longer contain the urge to utterly destroy Shimizu Den. The Jinchūriki leapt at his enemy. Naruto slashed at Den with elongated claws. Shimizu blocked the vicious, but clumsy, strike, but the caustic chakra seeping from Naruto's pores burned the former Head Ninja of Kumogakure.

"You will die here, boy. I cannot let you stop me. The Hyūga girl will be used to give birth to Kumo's Golden Age. And you…you are far too dangerous to be allowed to live," Den said as he painfully opened and closed his burned palm.

**Kill him now. Kumo will _use_ her. They will reduce her to less than chattel. Will you allow this to happen? Rage at this abomination! Use all of your hate to prevent it. Draw upon this power.**

"**Hinata-chan will never be Kumo's chattel! I…I will protect her!"** Naruto spoke darkly. His cold and quiet tone was more terrifying than his berserk screaming.

"You will fail," Shimizu said with forced calmness. "Raigen Raikōchū."

Tendrils of lightning chakra erupted from Den's body and created a blinding flash of light. Naruto lost track of his enemy as he was temporarily blinded. The boy's anger grew exponentially. As Naruto drank deeply of the power of his anger, he suddenly felt his entire body burn. It felt like a second skin was growing an inch or so from his natural skin. The pain was intense, but, if the pain allowed him to protect Hinata-chan, he would bear it.

"Raiton: Thunder Clap," Naruto heard Den shout. A blast of lightning chakra struck Naruto and knocked the boy from his feet. The damage should have been catastrophic, but Naruto's 'second skin' deflected and partially absorbed the majority of the jutsu's destructive power.

'_I have to get closer,'_ Naruto growled mentally. **"****Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**

Naruto was calling upon an immense amount of chakra and created dozens of clones. Naruto noticed the clones all had red eyes, darker whisker marks and that occasionally a cloak of red chakra would manifest around the clones.

'_Is that what I look like?' _Naruto asked himself.

**That is our power.**

'_Our?'_ Naruto thought for a moment. He quickly pushed that thought aside as his clones charged Den. Naruto followed behind his clones and launched the attack. The former Head Ninja used a combination of kunai, taijutsu, and explosive tags to fight off the horde of Shadow Clones.

Den, for his part, realized his chances for survival were slipping away with every passing second. He could not match the Jinchūriki in terms of endurance, both physical and chakra. '_I may have to use Raiton: Teishi no Tenjo Kai again,' _Den thought in a near panic.

Naruto noticed that Shimizu was flashing through a series of hand seals. Instinctively, Naruto pooled chakra in front of him and felt the power build towards something…violent. Naruto released the pooled violence and watched as a sheer wall of Chakra exploded outwards. The chakra did extraordinary damage to the ground in front of Naruto. A terrible realization quickly dawned on Naruto.

'_If Hinata-chan had been in front of that!'_ Naruto thought in a panic.

**Now is not the time for doubt.**

Naruto growled at the dark thoughts that invaded his mind. He diverted his attention from what he assumed was his darker impulses towards Shimizu Den. The former Kumo ninja had been thrown several feet by the chakra blast. Naruto felt joyous satisfaction as he watched Den rise shakily to his feet. The satisfaction shook Naruto and he felt the haze and his second skin begin to recede.

'_What is happening to me?'_ Naruto thought through the mental fog. He was grateful for the renewed clarity and created a new wave of Kage Bunshins. Most of the Bunshins charged Shimizu, but several slipped backwards to get the unconscious members of Team Four out of the line of fire. Naruto accompanied his attacking clones. His surprise was palpable as the target his clones tore to pieces with their claws was not the Head Ninja, but instead one of the missing-nin Den had hired.

Den's gambit would have never worked against a more experienced or emotionally stable ninja. However, the Jinchūriki was caught up in the hate of his Bijū. It didn't hurt that the boy was a young and inexperienced, if talented, ninja. The boy hadn't taken stock of the corpses littering the battlefield.

An enraged Kage Bunshin charged Den, but was quickly dispatched with a kunai through the brain. Shimizu rushed through the chakra-laced smoke and grabbed the Hyūga heiress. He wasn't sure how long she would remain unconscious, but that was a secondary concern. Shimizu Den had only one concern at the moment: putting as much space between himself and Konoha's Jinchūriki as possible.

The former Head Ninja jumped into the trees and began to flee. The roar that erupted from behind him nearly made him empty his bowels. There were legends about that roar.

It was the roar of the Kyūbi and the herald of the Apocalypse.

* * *

Neji bowed respectfully to his somewhat eccentric Jonin instructor. Guy returned the bow and followed it with a thumbs-up.

"Good work, my precious students! You have all done exceptionally well in both your training and the D-rank cool down! I will see you all bright and early at 5:00am to being our training!" Might Guy said with a smile.

"Doesn't Guy-sensei know that sunrise is at 6:00am?" Tenten muttered. Lee cocked his head to the side and tapped his chin.

"Tenten-chan, I am sure that Guy-sensei means we will illuminate the morning with our brilliant flames of youth!" Lee exclaimed and started to follow Guy to their late afternoon training.

"Lee-san and Tenten-chan, if I may have a moment," Neji spoke quickly. His teammates were driven and were eager to continue their personal training. Neji greatly admired his teammates and friends. The Hyūga prodigy was confident that Guy-sensei would nominate the team for the Chunin exams this year.

"What is it, Neji-kun?" Tenten asked. Neji felt a ghost of a smile find its way to his face. Tenten and Neji had dropped the more formal honorifics last year and never looked back.

"Do you recall the recent incident with Yuudai-san?" Neji asked.

"I recall the troubling encounter," Lee confirmed. Tenten chewed her lip for a moment.

"Neji-kun, I know something nearly happened but you two never told me the details," Tenten was naturally curious and hated being left out of the loop. Neji could also hear the concern in her voice.

"Yuudai-san attempted to activate my Seal," Neji hissed. The distance of the memory allowed Neji to direct his full hate at the incident. Tenten gasped in shock. She had known the encounter had been tense and that Lee had made some surprisingly subtle threats, but the full extent stunned her. Neji took a deep breath before he continued. "Hiashi-sama and my father wish to speak with both of you soon. The incident was a major breach of Hyūga Protocol."

"I would be honored to help ensure that Yuudai is properly punished for his most unyouthful act," Lee stated firmly. "Tell Hiashi-sama and your father I will make myself available at their convenience."

"Thank you, my friend," Neji said with a bow. Rock Lee returned the bow before jogging over to his mentor and father-figure. Neji threw a glance at Tenten. She had been silent since Neji had revealed the indignity Yuudai had nearly forced upon Neji.

"I would have killed him," Tenten finally spoke. "I would have killed that bastard if he had hurt you like that."

Neji possessed the legendary Hyūga emotional control. He rarely allowed spontaneous emotional outbursts. So, Neji's reaction caught Tenten off guard.

"Thank you," the Hyūga said softly as he wrapped Tenten in a hug.

"Charmer," Tenten whispered into Neji's chest. Neji smiled almost as softly as his previous thank you.

"Tenten-chan, my father and uncle are going to extend a formal invitation for a dinner to you," Neji revealed.

"Any idea when?" Tenten asked while deciding she could put off her shuriken practice for a few minutes, or maybe a few days. She was enjoying the moment too much to think about training.

"I only overheard father and Hiashi-sama discussing the invitation. They did not mention any dates," Neji said.

"Well, beyond the obvious one," Tenten teased. Neji chuckled.

"Aren't you the clever one," Neji teased right back. Tenten looked up and stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend.

"_Someone_ has to be normal and clever in our little circle of madness," the weapons prodigy stated with a playful huff.

"Normal is overrated. Being youthful is far more fulfilling," Neji joked.

"Don't even _joke_ like that! I don't want Lee and Guy-sensei to hear you! There is absolutely no way I'm allowing my boyfriend to war green spandex tights!" Tenten hissed.

"I'm sorry," Neji apologized with a laugh.

"How sorry?" Tenten asked with a hint of irritation, but she didn't try to break the hug.

"Sorry enough to pay for lunch, say…dumplings at Kashin Hanten," Neji said to placate Tenten.

"Charmer," Tenten whispered. She finally broke the hug and took Neji's hand. The couple walked towards their favorite restaurant. Neji smiled and knew there would be justice done for the Branch Family. However, he couldn't shake a nameless dread gnawing at a forgotten corner of his soul. Neji took a deep, contented breath and quashed the worry. Now was not the time for angst. He was with Tenten and she deserved his contentment and attention.

* * *

"You two have nearly undone us!" Takeshi spat venomously at the two men sitting in his private study. "I cannot determine which of you has done more damage to our attempts to prevent the collapse of the Hyūga Clan as we know it!"

Yoshinori shot to his feet in righteous indignation. "Takeshi, I am a member of the Council! I demand you treat me with respect!"

"And what have you done other than attempt to interfere in Hiashi's daughter's relationship with the Jinchūriki? An attempt that, if I may remind you, utterly failed. If anything, your interference strengthened the budding relationship," Takeshi countered. He was incredibly frustrated with his allies. A certain degree of bumbling was to be expected from Yoshinori. Takeshi's oldest friend was brilliant when it came to economics, but was completely inept socially.

"Uncle, Yoshinori-sama was merely trying to accomplish our goal of ending that foul…interaction," Yuudai said in an attempt to placate his uncle.

"Silence!" Takeshi snapped. "Neither of you have truly observed the Jinchūriki and the heiress. Any attempt to attack the relationship from the outside will only drive them closer together. It is likely they believe themselves to be persecuted. That drove them closer together."

Yuudai and Yoshinori were cowed by the unmistakable edge of violence in his voice. "No, we must have subtlety. You two would do well to learn from the teammate of Hizashi's son. That is how we must act," Takeshi snapped out. He paced for several moments.

"I do not follow, Uncle," Yuudai revealed.

"Did you understand the intent behind this 'Rock Lee's' words?" Takeshi asked. Yuudai nodded and Takeshi continued. "His intent was clear, but he can legitimately claim he was merely recalling a previous mission. Our intent must be clear, but the method in which our intent is delivered must be hidden behind 'sincerity'. I recall Hatake Sakumo's favorite phrase: "Underneath the Underneath". It would be wise to adopt such a mantra as our own."

Takeshi looked at each of his compatriots silently. The two other men knew Takeshi was daring them to speak.

"I will not waste any more of our time. The next meeting of the Council will debate easing the marriage restrictions for the Cadet Branch of the Clan. We must support this," Takeshi said calmly as he sat down.

"Of course we must support this motion. The restriction on Cadet Marriages is an archaic relic of our days before the Senju begged us to join Konohagakure. I, of course, will argue that we must have _some_ controls over marriages. We must carefully screen any marriage that risks having the Byakugan falling beyond our control," Yoshinori said in clipped tones. Takeshi saw the wheels turning in his comrade's mind. He was applying business logic to the situation. This, Takeshi thought, was when Yoshinori was at his best.

"Well said, my friend, well said," Takeshi spoke warmly before turning his attention to his nephew. "Yuudai, when are you planning on taking your Jonin trials?"

"Soon, uncle. I am attempting to improve Katon: Small Fire Stream. A second Elemental Chakra technique will be a tremendous boon in my attempt," Yuudai revealed.

"What is your shortcoming?" Yoshinori asked.

"Sustaining the stream. I am not naturally a Katon user. As with most Hyūga, I possess a natural affinity for Doton Jutsus," Yuudai confessed.

"I wish you luck in your training. My brethren, I am afraid I must take my leave," Takeshi said with a bow. Yoshinori and Yuudai returned the bow. The chief conspirator practically glided from the room.

'_I am in need of a drink. My patience is well and truly tried,' _Takeshi thought grimly. As he rounded the corner, he saw Hiashi's youngest child enter the Main Branch section of the compound. '_Hanabi is another potential complication. She idolizes her sister, cousin and the Uzumaki boy. Hiashi's haste has infected her as well. Still, she is young and hopefully a suitable marriage will salvage her.'_

Hanabi strode by Takeshi who greeted her politely. "Hanabi-sama."

"Good afternoon, Takeshi-san," Hanabi responded with perfectly measured politeness. She quickly continued on her way. After a few steps, she whispered, "Byakugan."

Hanabi was satisfied Takeshi was far enough away and faked gagging. She _really_ didn't like Takeshi. He was mean to her sister and Naruto-nii-san. '_I can't stand Takeshi! I just wish he would do something stupid so that Daddy or Uncle Hizashi could knock him down a few notches!'_

Hanabi didn't want to think about a jerk any longer, so she pushed her thoughts aside and headed to her father's private study. She took a moment to collect herself before asking permission to enter according to the Hyūga's well-established protocol.

"Enter," Hiashi commanded coolly. Hanabi slid the door open and entered to the prescribed distance before bowing.

"Good afternoon, daddy," Hanabi said warmly.

"How was your day at the Academy?" Hiashi asked in an equally warm tone.

"It was good…do you know when onee-chan and Naruto-nii-san will be back?" Hanabi blurted out the question she had been dying to ask all day.

"I'm sorry, my daughter, but I have no inkling of when Hinata and Naruto will return," the Hyūga Clan head said apologetically. Hanabi deflated a bit.

"I…I know that since Naruto-nii-san and onee-chan are ninja now, they'll be gone a lot, but it's still hard," the young girl admitted.

"It is a difficult thing to be separate from one's family. However, the reunions are always sweeter and the time you spend together always means more," Hiashi said softly.

"I guess, but…" Hanabi trailed off. "I just miss them. It was really hard when Neji-nii-san started going on missions, but with Hinata going away…"

"Your sister will return and she will be in perfect health," Hiashi said more to assure himself than his daughter.

"Thanks, daddy," Hanabi said happily. She took a minute to retell her day at the Academy. "I need more practice with my shuriken and kunai. I'm in fifth place in ranged weapons. I want to be Rookie of the Year."

"That will require hard work and dedication," Hiashi said proudly.

"Well, duh, daddy," Hanabi said while waving her hand in a very Naruto-like manner. "That's why I'm going to practice a lot."

"Excellent, my daughter. Rika is in the kitchen and will have a light meal ready for you," Hiashi said with a smile. Hanabi ran over and hugged her father.

"Love you, daddy!" Hanabi shouted as she ran from the office. Hiashi leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

'_Hiromi, my love, I know you must be so proud of our daughters,'_ Hiashi thought proudly. Suddenly, he was struck by the same sense of foreboding that assaulted him during the meeting with Hizashi.

"Please return safely, my darling Hinata," Hiashi whispered to himself.

* * *

Den took a fearful glance over his shoulder. He was no sensor-nin, but even he could feel the hate rolling off the Kyūbi Jinchūriki. In fact, Shimizu could practically _taste_ the utter hate the boy was radiating. A single overwhelming desire filled Shimizu. He had to get away from the Jinchūriki. At the moment, he could not see the untamed Jinchūriki. However, the local wildlife could sense their impending doom. They were fleeing with near unnatural haste.

A howl of animalistic rage shattered the silence that had previously been balancing on a knife's edge.

The fleeing Kumo ninja turned his attention forward and pushed himself to the brink. His muscles screamed in protest.

'_I think I'm far enough away. I can start focusing on subduing the Hyūga girl when she wakes up…'_ Den thought in relief.

In an instant, he was falling to the ground. The tree Shimizu had just landed on had been torn from the ground by an 'arm' comprised of pure chakra. Shimizu Den only caught a quick glance of the chakra construct as he righted his own fall. As he landed, he saw Hinata land in a nearby spring.

'_The water broke her fall and she's face up. She'll live,'_ Den thought quickly. The dust began to clear and Shimizu caught the glimpse of a silhouette in the distance. The silhouette caused an instinctive and primal terror to snake its way into Shimizu's soul.

Every ounce of Shimizu Den's being had accepted that he was going to die.

The silhouette was blood red and had two large distinctive 'ears' and a 'tail'. The terror of the situation quadrupled when the former Head Ninja of Kumo realized that the tint of the chakra cloak was because of the _actual_ blood seeping out of the boy.

"The Hachibi and the Nibi were never anything like this," Den said fearfully.

"**WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS MY REASON FOR EXISTENCE?"** The Jinchūriki's voice rang out through the forest.

"Raiton: Teishi no Tenjo Kai!" Shimizu screamed in desperation. The electrical arc tore through the air and struck Konoha's Jinchūriki square in the chest. The older ninja felt a moment of hope as his enemy was thrown through a thick oak tree.

Naruto had never felt such an intense pain before. Every inch of his body was sore, burning, or simply numb. The worst pain was in his chest. The sheer agony was not from the impact of the powerful Raiton Jutsu, but instead from his failure. He had not saved Hinata. She was still in danger.

**You drink deeply of the power I grant you, yet you still fail her so completely.**

The hateful voice resurfaced and taunted Naruto for his failure, his betrayal of all that he was. Naruto growled at the voice and directed his ire at Shimizu Den. Naruto reached out with his left hand and felt his skin of chakra expand and shoot forward. The chakra became an extension of his arm and of his will.

In the distance, Naruto saw Den barely dodge the grasping chakra arm. Naruto's rage increased as the threat to Hinata charged towards him.

'_He will never threaten her again,'_ Naruto swore to himself.

**Then you must destroy him utterly. **

"**SHUT UP!****"** Naruto bellowed.

Shimizu Den paused on a rock and looked in shock at the Kyūbi's Container. _'__Is he talking to his Bijū or did he hear me activate that trap jutsu?'_

The pause was a grave error. _'__Shit! I've been put on the defensive!'_ Den screamed mentally as he dodged a vicious strike from the Jinchūriki….only to have the chakra cloak hit him and send him flying.

"**I HAVE NEVER HATED ANYTHING IN MY ENTIRE LIFE…**" Naruto hissed as he stalked forward. **A glaring and unforgivable weakness.** The young man growled at the voice invading his mind and willed it silent. **"****BUT I HATE YOU."**

Den clawed his way to his feet. He realized he had committed several grave errors in his battle with this child. The mistake that would likely prove fatal for him was that he had underestimated the Jinchūriki.

"Hate…hate is a necessary part of our life boy. We must hate our enemies and love our allies," Den spoke and was shocked by his own calmness. The former Head Ninja was further shocked by his own actions. Instinctively, he launched himself at the young Jinchūriki without fear or hesitation.

Naruto was caught off guard by Shimizu Den's sudden attack. The strikes were very precise and Naruto struggled to physically block the kicks and punches. If it wasn't for the chakra skin, Naruto would have taken several crippling blows.

'_He was the Raikage's right hand. I shouldn't be surprised,'_ Naruto thought darkly.

**Enough. This has gone on far too long. End this threat. End it now.**

The voice shook Naruto from his analysis. He extended his awareness to the chakra tail and the extension of Naruto's rage wrapped itself around Den's neck. The missing-nin gasped for air and struggled against Naruto's death grip.

"**YOU WILL NEVER THREATEN HER AGAIN."** Naruto roared at the object of his hate. Shimizu didn't respond verbally. Instead, he poured all his will, energy and desperation into kicking Naruto in the head. The impact caught Naruto completely off guard and shattered the chakra tail's grip on the former Head Ninja.

Shimizu Den coughed and gingerly touched the burns on his throat. He had to find a way to finish this battle. '_My chakra is dangerously low. I cannot compete with a Jinchūriki in stamina,' _he thought quickly.

The ground roared in protest and began to tear itself apart. Shimizu barely had time to leap away before a massive chakra arm crashed down where he had been standing.

'_He can't move when using the chakra arms…'_ Den thought hopefully. '_If I can dodge the chakra arms, I can catch him with his defenses down!'_

The missing-nin grinned triumphantly and rushed forward to attack the Jinchūriki. The smile vanished as Den saw a _second_ chakra arm grab one of the shattered trees and throw it like a kunai.

'_Please grow strong, my children,__'_ Den thought forlornly as the missile approached at a speed that made dodging impossible. The oak spear ruined Shimizu Den completely. The impact of the Jinchūriki's spear snapped several trees for several dozen yards behind Den. Naruto saw the utter devastation of his foe and grinned in feral triumph.

**Well done, child. We shall meet again.** Naruto heard the voice, or presence, speak in mockingly congratulatory tones. He wasn't sure exactly what the presence was, but it did not speak in the way a human voice did. Instead, it was a series of emotional impressions or cues. As the mocking presence receded, Naruto's chakra cloak receded along with it. Indescribable pain and fatigue flowed into the places where moments before Naruto's dark power had reigned. Naruto took a swaying step towards where Hinata lay. The boy was eternally grateful that Hinata's position was almost entirely unmolested by the battle. As grateful as Naruto was for Hinata's relative safety, he was concerned by the rapidly expanding haze engulfing his memories.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto whispered before collapsing.

* * *

Naruto wasn't sure how long he had been unconscious. Time had ceased to have any meaning after his collapse. It could have been seconds, minutes or even days. He shook off the worry and rose to his feet. His fatigue and pain had been washed away by his time unconscious. Immediately, he pushed his personal concerns aside and rushed to where he had last seen Hinata.

"Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked hopefully. Hinata did not respond, but she stirred slightly. That minuscule change in condition gave Naruto a glimmer of hope.

'_Hinata-chan will be fine. She'll come back,'_ Naruto swore to himself. He knelt beside her and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. _'__I have to get Hinata-chan and Team Four to some kind of safe haven. What was the name of that village?'_ Naruto thought as he picked up Hinata bridal style. He looked over the ravaged landscape in wonder as he shifted Hinata away from a burn on his left arm. The devastation was incredible.

'_How did this happen? I know I don't have the power for this…I don't remember anything,'_ Naruto wrinkled his brow as he mulled over the forest. Naruto was about to push the thoughts from his mind when he noticed a very clear path of destruction through the forest.

'_I have a memory of that, but I can't see it. I know that was me, but how?'_ Naruto once again shook off his confusion. He redirected all his attention to getting Hinata somewhere safe. It was a long walk through the war-zone of a forest. Naruto felt a fresh wave of fatigue threaten to slow him down. The boy willed himself to keep going.

"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata's voice split the unnatural silence. Naruto's heart soared at the almost inaudible word.

"Hinata-chan! You're awake! You're awake!" Naruto exalted as he pulled Hinata close.

"H…how long was I out?" Hinata asked.

"A while, that's all I know." Naruto answered neutrally. Hinata looked around and realized they were not with the rest of the Team.

"Where are Wantanabe-sensei and Kiba-kun?" Hinata asked in a near panic.

"They are with some of my Clones," Naruto started to speak.

"Why?" Hinata asked cautiously. She felt Naruto pull her close instinctively. Hinata could feel Naruto's desire to protect her and to simply _be there_ for her. It was comforting and made the current situation bearable.

"Do you remember the day we met?" Naruto asked distantly.

"You saved me, Naruto-kun. I would never forget that night," Hinata replied and nuzzled into Naruto's shoulder.

"He came back...Shimizu Den, I mean. Den tried to take you again. I…beat him," Naruto partially revealed. Hinata had known Naruto long enough to know that he wasn't telling her everything. She assumed it was for her benefit and did not press Naruto.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," Hinata said warmly.

"You don't have to thank me for that, Hinata-chan. I swear I'll always be there for you," Naruto said softly. "That's a promise of a lifetime."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Here's Chapter 16! Hope you guys enjoy! We've finally reached the end of both the Wave and Team 4 C-rank arcs! Please continue the absolutely amazing review response. Seriously, your response has really encouraged me to write! I enjoy writing and to know that you guys enjoy reading my stories is absolutely awesome.

****Also, I have a poll up on my profile for my next story idea. Yes, I'm aware I have Plot ADHD. No, I don't consider that a bad thing.

**Rock on everyone!  
**


	17. Chapter 17

Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his pipe on an ornate ashtray that had been one of many lavish gifts the Daimyo of the Land of Swamps had given to Konoha after Anko Mitarashi had saved his life years ago. The God of Shinobi had enough experience and self-control not to chuckle at the amusing memory of Anko's reaction to the Daimyo including a marriage proposal with the gifts. Now, however, was not the time for remembering an amusing end to a past mission.

"The defeat of such a powerful missing-nin is to be celebrated," the Third Hokage stated. "I dare say that the entire mission to the Land of Waves was an incredible success."

Team Seven and Hyūga Kō smiled at the praise. They did not speak, however. The assembled ninja were too well versed in proper protocol to say anything without being directed to by the Hokage.

"Yes, very successful," Hiruzen said proudly. "An entire nation has been rescued from the claws of tyranny and exploitation. That is to be celebrated. Sasuke's revival of the Sharingan will bring hope to our village."

Sasuke sat straighter at the Hokage's praise. The Third inclined his head at the young Uchiha.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Sasuke said politely. The Sandaime smiled and turned to Kakashi.

"I must say, the retrieval of Zabuza's Executioner's Blade will ensure that Konoha has a very valuable card in any future negotiations with Kirigakure," Sarutobi said appreciatively. "This mission went above and beyond the parameters of a C-rank mission. I, in my authority as Hokage, will award Team Seven and Hyūga Kō the completion of an A-rank mission. I expect a mission report from each of you by the end of the week. _None_ of you will be eligible for any missions or intensive training until that time. I must allow some of my most promising ninja time to recuperate. Dismissed."

The younger ninja bowed politely after they had risen from their seats. Hatake Kakashi led the four ninja to the base of the Hokage's Tower.

"Team Seven, you have your orders from the Sandaime Hokage. Get some rest. I am proud of all of you," Kakashi complimented his team. The compliment was somewhat diminished by Kakashi's blaise tone and the fact that the Copy-nin's nose was buried in his precious orange book.

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said excitedly as she bowed politely. Kakashi waved off Sakura's bow with his free hand.

"You're welcome kiddos," Kakashi said lazily as he flipped a page and began to giggle.

Shino turned to his teammates. "We should take today to recover. I suggest we establish a meeting time to collaborate on our mission reports," the Aburame said in a precisely controlled tone of voice.

"That sounds good, besides, you need to go home and get a new pair of sunglasses anyway," Sasuke said and allowed a portion of the triumph he was feeling to enter his voice.

"That is correct Sasuke-san. In addition, my clan will require a report on my mission as well. Good day," Shino said with a slight incline of his head. Sasuke and Sakura returned the nod. Shino walked toward the Aburame district in silence.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun. My parents are probably worried sick about me. I…maybe, we can…hang out tomorrow?" Sakura asked.

"Sure, we'll find each other I'm sure," Sasuke said neutrally. Sakura started to turn towards her home before quickly turning around. She threw her arms around Sasuke.

"Congratulations, Sasuke-kun, on your Sharingan," Sakura said quickly before bolting down the street. Sasuke smiled for a moment before heading towards his clan's district. The smile and sense of triumph he had experienced faded away. In its place, a profound sense of emptiness filled Uchiha Sasuke's being. He would not return to the welcome of clan guards or worried parents. He would return to the welcome of ghosts crying out for vengeance.

* * *

"Kō-san, I need your honest opinion," Kakashi said while casually flipping through his precious book.

"On what subject matter? If it is on Icha Icha, I still believe that volume six is the pinnacle of the series," the Hyūga responded quickly.

Kakashi chuckled. "Excellent choice, excellent choice," he said before shutting his book. "What is your assessment of my team?"

"They are young, but full of promise. Sakura-san and Shino-san have a sound strategic understanding despite their inexperience. Sasuke-san is incredibly talented and with his newly awakened Sharingan, he will be able to advance even quicker. They have great potential, but more than that, they trust each other," Kō explained.

"Well, then… I think I'll enter them in the Chūnin Exams," Kakashi said in a tone usually reserved for ordering soup.

"What? They don't have the experience necessary for Chūnin! I will not deny their talent, but I do not believe they are ready for a promotion," the Hyūga protested.

"I know," Kakashi agreed. "The fact remains that entering the exams will show them what is expected of Chūnin and prepare them for the time when they _are_ ready."

Kō sighed. "I do not agree with your reasoning, but I cannot deny your point. Worse, you'll be causing problems for two clans…"

Kakashi's visible eye suddenly became alight with amusement. "Oh?"

"The Hyūga and Inuzuka clans will not hear the end of 'that stuck-up Sasuke' or 'the Haruno fangirl' being entered into the Chūnin exams when Team Four will likely not be entered. Naruto will complain for weeks, as will Kiba," Kō groaned as he put his palm against his forehead.

"I'll float the idea of Team Four entering the exams with Wani when he returns," Kakashi laughed.

"Wani? Was that Yuji's ANBU handle?" Kō asked with genuine curiosity

"It was. Don't worry; no by-laws were broken. Wani permanently opted out of ANBU," Sharingan Kakashi stated.

"You can opt out of ANBU?" The fresh Hyūga Jonin asked in shock.

"If you've got kids and plan on taking a Genin team, it is an option. I never took it, but many ANBU looking to ease back into the light-side of things take it," Kakashi explained.

"I understand," Kō said evenly.

Kakashi put away his book and took a deep breath. "Kō-san, please extend Hiashi-sama my thanks for taking Naruto in. If he ever wants to reveal anything to Naruto, I offer my…first-hand knowledge."

Kō bowed. "I will extend your gratitude to Hiashi-sama. I am sure he would appreciate the offer."

The two Jonin went their separate ways. Kō was grateful that he did not have concussion-like symptoms, but he was still worried about the state of his eyes. Zabuza's blow had been perilously close to the delicate veins that fed his Byakugan with chakra-infused blood. Thus, Kō was very apprehensive about their condition. His effectiveness as a ninja and his status as a Hyūga depended on the health of his eyes.

'_Normally, I hate going to a Hyūga Apothecary. So troublesome,'_ Kō thought in annoyance.

"Excuse me, Hyūga-san!" A young woman's voice called out. Kō immediately stopped. He never flaunted his status as a Main Branch Hyūga in order to meet women. It did not mean he did not allow his clan's reputation to open the door for him.

"May I help you miss?" Kō asked. He noticed immediately that the Inuzuka approaching him was Tsume's eldest child.

"You are Uzumaki Naruto's guardian are you not?" Inuzuka Hana asked politely. Kō nodded but noticed how Hana's three ninken had instinctively moved into a strong defensive formation around the Inuzuka woman.

"I am responsible for keeping Naruto in line," Kō responded. He never really viewed what he did as 'raising' Naruto. Kō had always believed he was 'aiming' Naruto along the path that would lead him to greatness. The boy had the most potential the Hyūga Jonin had ever seen.

'_As well he should. The only thing that exceeds the excellence of his lineage is his will to succeed,' _Kō thought proudly.

"Naruto-kun is on my little brother's team. I was wondering if Team Four had returned safely to Konoha," Hana said swiftly. Kō's momentary frown answered the question more completely than any amount of words ever could.

"Team Four has not returned, yet," Kō broke the news verbally.

"Something is wrong…" Hana frowned. "I know they still have four days before the Hokage sends Hunter-nin recovery teams to search for them, but I can't shake this feeling."

Kō nodded. He had also felt a sense of unease. It had been incredibly powerful in Wave. The Hyūga Jonin had no doubt the feeling had been an ill omen. Indeed, it had been a true ill omen. Kakashi had also felt it. Kō had barely registered the momentary flash of worry on Kakashi's face. Kō only saw it due to years of training in reading the expressions of other shinobi. Still, it had been incredibly difficult to read the legendary Copy-nin's emotions.

"I felt it as well. I have confidence in Team Four. They will return safely," Kō tried to reassure Hana.

"I believe so as well. Kiba is too stubborn to die on his first mission out of the village," Hana said with a hopeful smile.

"As are Naruto and Hinata-sama," Kō agreed. Hana chuckled as she gave Kō a disbelieving look. "Don't let Hinata-sama or Hiashi-sama know that I revealed this, but Hinata-sama can be incredibly stubborn. In fact, she got a triple dose. Her parents were very stubborn people. I was only a young boy at the time, but I remember how Hiashi-sama and Hiromi-sama fought tooth and nail to have their wedding in winter. The third dose came from Naruto."

Hana crossed her arms. "Naruto?"

"Oh yes," Kō laughed. "Naruto has an undeniable effect on people. You'd be surprised. As Neji-san is fond of saying, Naruto is the reason the Hyūga Elders have not managed to ban fun from the Clan yet."

The Inuzuka woman laughed. "My parents…well, they used to have a pool going on when that would _actually_ happen. But enough stalling, I swear, you remind me of Kiba sometimes."

"Apologies," Kō returned the laugh. "Lead on."

* * *

Hidakagawa was a quiet village firmly within the Land of Fire's borders. Naruto was grateful that they had a somewhat safe place for Hinata and Kiba to recover from the absolutely brutal battles of the past few days. Yuji-sensei had led Team Four to a small house near the center of the village. He had spoken with the home's owner quietly. Naruto was stunned that the older woman had let the shinobi into the house without question.

"I'll need to see all of you individually," the owner, Mashiro, said evenly. Naruto instinctively put himself between his teammates and the elderly woman. Yuji-sensei had left the room and hadn't returned yet.

"I can't allow that. I don't know your loyalties or abilities. I'm not going to risk my teammates' safety," Naruto said firmly.

"You've trained him well, Wani," Mashiro congratulated the exhausted Jonin as Yuji came through the front door. The elderly woman delicately brushed a strand of hair out of her face as she turned her attention to Naruto. "Will my hitai-ate assuage your doubts?"

"Not fully, but it will help," Naruto admitted curtly. Mashiro laughed at Naruto's firm declaration. The woman walked to a wall and channeled a bit of chakra into one of the planks. It slid out of the way and Mashiro retrieved her Konoha hitai-ate.

"I am a Chūnin of Konoha. This is a permanent B-rank mission for me," Mashiro admitted. Naruto compared the hitai-ate to his own and recognized it as genuine.

"Permanent B-rank?" Hinata questioned softly as she sat up. Naruto was immediately at her side.

"Yes, there are numerous Safe Houses scattered around the Land of Fire…and beyond…for the protection of Konoha shinobi. The Will of Fire calls us to these places," Mashiro explained.

"You're a medic-nin aren't you?" Kiba asked and nodded at Naruto's concerned look.

"I am. It is fortunate, that medical ninjutsu doesn't require a right leg," Mashiro chuckled mirthlessly. It was only then that Naruto noticed Mashiro's odd gait.

'_She must have lost her leg on a mission, but she couldn't give up being a ninja. Mashiro-san is a true shinobi of Konoha. But, she has been here a very long time and we are very close to Kumo's sphere of influence,'_ Naruto thought with an odd mix of admiration and suspicion.

"Thank you, Mashiro-san. I am the least injured of my cell. I **will** provide any assistance you require," Naruto's tone was cheerful and he hid the distrustful edge skillfully.

"What is your name, boy?" Mashiro asked. Naruto's stance toward the woman, both physical and emotional, was easing, but he couldn't trust her enough yet.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Mashiro chuckled. "Very well indeed. I will have to keep an eye on this Uzumaki Naruto, Wani."

The medic walked past Naruto and took a look at each of the members of Team Four. Naruto watched the woman intently. Mashiro performed a diagnostic jutsu. The elderly medic made a series of hums or grunts as she saw _something_. Naruto had a difficult time following what was going on.

"You all had quite the encounter," Mashiro said somewhat distractedly. Naruto found he could only nod.

She set to work on Kiba first and Naruto was grateful. Kiba had clearly taken the biggest beating during the mission. Mashiro quickly and efficiently healed Kiba. "The boy will need rest."

Naruto walked over and flashed a smile at Kiba. The Inuzuka didn't _quite_ return it. Kiba was watching Mashiro heal Akamaru with unbridled suspicion.

"I don't like anyone other than my sister healing Akamaru," Kiba whispered through gritted teeth. His grimace became a relieved grin when the young ninken sat up and scratched his ears. Akamaru barked and yipped.

"Looks like everyone will be okay," Naruto quipped in a guarded tone. He found himself tensing as the medic ninja gave Hinata a look over.

"The Hyūga girl will be fine. She just has some very severe chakra exhaustion," Mashiro reported.

"Thank you, Mashiro-san," Hinata said politely.

"I am simply an old woman who cannot let go of her duty," Mashiro said with a smile. "If you excuse me, I must speak with Wani alone. Hyūga, you may take the guest room. There are some spare bedrolls in the closet for the boys."

Yuji looked exhausted. "Don't forget to grab a bedroll for me."

"Don't worry, we won't, Yuji-sensei," Kiba assured his teacher. The two older ninja retreated to the kitchen.

"I think I'll go lie down and rest. I've never been this tired," Hinata rose from her seat. She flashed her teammates a reassuring smile as she took a few steps. Naruto was on his feet in a second and across the room in a flash.

"Slow down, Naruto. You'll have people confusing you with the Fourth," Kiba teased. Akamaru barked a few times. "You said it Akamaru," Kiba finished with a laugh.

"I'm fine, Naruto-kun," Hinata promised Naruto. She took Naruto's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze before slipping into the guest room. Naruto stared silently at the door for a moment before turning to the closet. He retrieved the bedrolls and handed one to Kiba.

"You've got it bad," Kiba chuckled.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked as he flopped down in the nearest chair.

Kiba shook his head. "Dude, remember what happened the last time you tried to deny how you _really_ felt."

Naruto tensed and blushed furiously at the memory. "I remember, but how is this 'bad'?"

"It's not 'bad'. Man, for such a hopeless romantic, you can be dense. I'm just saying; you practically worship the ground she walks on."

"Why wouldn't I? Hinata-chan…well…she's beautiful and kind and wonderful," Naruto rattled a few reasons and occasionally casting a glance back to the guest room.

"You're right about that. If there's a prettier girl our age, I haven't met her," Kiba admitted with a smirk. "But what I'm trying to say is… My first memory of you is connected with her. When we did our 'introductions', everything you said was pretty much centered on the Hyūga or training. Heck, there are times when I think that I barely know you. You're my best human friend Naruto, and I don't even know what you _really_ want with your life. I know that I want to become the world's greatest hunter-nin. I also want to be like Wantanabe-sensei and take a Genin squad one day. What do you want from your life?"

"When the hell did you get so introspective?" Naruto snapped. _'Why is it always Kiba who makes me think so much?'_

"Buddy, we nearly _died_ about a half dozen times over the past few days! Yeah, we handled the bandits easy. But what about the Castle, huh? What about _Den_?" Kiba prodded Naruto with both his tone and a series of finger jabs. Naruto's face darkened as he thought of the former Head Ninja of Kumogakure.

"We got lucky," Naruto admitted.

"Damn right," Kiba growled. "I hate to admit it as much as you do. We're too solid to have to rely on _luck_."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed. "I guess my dream is to be a great ninja."

"I hate to break it to you, buddy, but you're going to need a new dream."

"What? Kiba, what is **that** supposed to mean?" Naruto shot out of the chair and responded to Kiba's finger jabbing with an accusing finger of his own.

"You're already a great ninja. No half-rate shinobi could have taken down the ex-right-hand man of the Raikage," Kiba pointed out proudly.

"I did kick his ass," Naruto admitted with a smile that was starting to resemble his normal smile. "And I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I need to try to dispel a genjutsu."

Akamaru made a questioning noise and cocked his head to the side.

"I don't remember Kiba being this smart, Akamaru. You? You've _always_ been the brains of the operation."

"Oi!" Kiba shouted in indignation and leapt at Naruto. Naruto dodged the sloppy swipe.

"Cut it out you two!" Yuji barked an order from the kitchen. "Naruto, we need to talk in private."

"What about, Yuji-sensei?" Naruto asked. He swallowed back a laugh as Kiba fumed on his bedroll.

"The Kyūbi."

* * *

Hiashi drew the silence out. It was a simplistic ploy to demonstrate that _he_ was the leader of the Hyūga. One did not simply 'demand' an audience. Hiashi remained completely impassive as Chiasa waited for him to speak.

"You asked to speak with me," Hiashi finally acknowledged Chiasa. She was one of the last people Hiashi had expected to request an audience. Her husband, Terou, was a respected member of the clan. Terou was also an ardent supporter of Yoshinori and Takeshi's opposition to Hiashi.

"Yes, Hiashi-sama. I thank you for seeing me so quickly and in private. I do not want my husband or his allies to find out about this meeting," Chiasa said neutrally.

"I promise I will not betray your confidence," Hiashi assured his clan member.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama. I wished to speak with you because I am concerned about the direction of the Clan and the actions my husband and his allies are willing to undertake," Chiashi recited the sentence she had practiced over and over again.

"Your loyalty to the Hyūga is admirable and I thank you for your aid," Hiashi said politely, if distantly.

Chiasa sat straighter and looked the clan head in the eyes. "Do not mistake me, Hiashi-sama. I am not doing this for _you_. I am doing this for the clan. I still oppose your efforts to completely remove the Seal. The Main Branch does not require the seal because…"

"Because the Main Branch remains in the village to guide the clan and assist in the governance of the village while the Cadet Branch carries out missions beyond the walls of Konoha for the greater glory of the village. I am aware of the nature of my own clan, Chiasa," Hiashi allowed a bit of a growl to enter his words.

"Then you must at least acknowledge the necessity of the Seal on some level. I did not come here to debate the Seal with you, Hiashi-sama. I came here to warn you that my husband, Takeshi, and Yoshinori are becoming increasingly desperate. You have maneuvered them into a corner. I have no proof, but I have reason to suspect they are seeking aid from outside of Konoha," Chiasa revealed.

Hiashi was livid, but managed to keep his face neutral and his emotions in check. Emotional control had been incredibly difficult over the past few days. He was becoming increasingly worried about Hinata. Team Four had been gone far too long on a simple C-rank. Hiashi was convinced _something_ had happened. This new revelation was not helping Hiashi's nerves.

"What will your price be? I know it will be high. I am asking you to place the clan above your marriage," Hiashi had admirably managed to place his concerns for his daughter aside for a moment.

"I ask that you consider the concerns of the opposition. The Seal has fallen from its original noble purpose, but it is still necessary," Chiasa said carefully.

"There must be more than that," Hiashi narrowed his eyes.

"If I uncover evidence of my husband colluding with forces outside the village…I want a dissolution of my marriage," Chiasa said firmly.

"Your marriage always appeared…acceptable," Hiashi probed.

"In a clan with all-seeing eyes, one must hide their regret and doubts deep within their heart," Chiasa nearly wept. Hiashi took a calculated deep breath.

"I will agree to your conditions," the clan head agreed.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama," Chiasa bowed deeply despite being seated. Hiashi dismissed Chiasa and sat silently for a moment after she left. He was drawn out of his thoughts about Hinata's and Naruto's safety by a second knock on the door.

"Enter," Hiashi ordered. Hoheto entered as commanded and bowed.

"Hiashi-sama, a message from the Hokage has arrived," Hoheto reported. Hiashi felt a pang of fear and erupted from his seating mat.

"Hand it here!" Hiashi shouted. Hoheto was one of the few Cadets Hiashi allowed to see the rawer aspects of his personality. Hiashi valued Hoheto's _discretion._

Hiashi poured over the note. It was incredibly short and was simply an order from the Hokage. _'Your presence is required immediately.'_

The Hyūga clan head dismissed Hoheto and strode purposefully out of the office. He could not afford to show just how deeply the past few days had affected him. Hizashi was waiting for his brother in the main entrance.

"I have asked Minoru to sit in on the meeting with Neji's teammates," Hizashi said without preamble.

"A wise choice," Hiashi said quickly.

"Have faith in your daughter, my brother," Hizashi reached out to his twin. Hiashi nodded once and left the compound.

'_I would rather have her home.'_

* * *

Naruto sat down at the kitchen table and found it difficult to look Yuji in the eyes. "Why do want to talk about the Kyūbi?"

"Naruto, I believe you called upon the Kyūbi's chakra when you fought Shimizu Den," Yuji stated plainly.

"W-what?! Why would I do that?" Naruto blurted out.

Yuji was silent for a moment. "Naruto, the Kyūbi is a creature of malice. It's a force of nature that embodies rage. After what Den did to us, your friends, I cannot blame you for being angry."

"But…how do you know I used the Kyūbi's chakra?" Naruto questioned. His eyes were clearly pleading as he finally looked Yuji in the eyes.

"Hokage-sama revealed some of the workings of your seal when I became your Jonin sensei. You can call upon the Kyūbi's chakra occasionally," Yuji explained as best he could.

"Occasionally? Uncle Yuji, I need more information than that! I need to know if I'm a danger to anyone!" Naruto choked a bit on his words.

"I wish I could tell you more, Naruto. I really do," Yuji got up from his seat across from Naruto and knelt in front of the boy. "I just don't know enough about fuinjutsu. I can't say what happens when you call upon the Kyūbi's chakra. I know this, though. You are still Uzumaki Naruto and I trust you with my life. Go ask Kiba-kun or Hinata-chan, they'll tell you the same thing."

"I…I know, it's just…" Naruto struggled for the words.

"Naruto, when we get home, I'll ask the Hokage to contact Konoha's greatest seal master. He'll be able to tell how your seal is holding up. Jiraiya-sama will be able to tell us what needs to be done," Yuji patted Naruto on the head.

"Jiraiya?! Of the Sannin?" Naruto's previous worry melted away. "That's so cool!"

"Now, there's the Naruto I'm used to seeing! Don't forget who you are, kid. Don't forget to have faith in yourself. You do that and you'll go far," the Jonin assured his student.

"Thank you, Uncle Yuji," Naruto said with a broad smile.

"You're welcome. I sent a hawk to Konoha earlier. They'll be expecting us. I'm going to get some sleep. We'll set out as soon as we all wake up," Yuji's voice switched from his friendly fatherly tone to his commanding officer tone.

"Yes sir," Naruto recognized the tone and responded accordingly. Yuji left the room and went to the bedroll. He was asleep nearly instantly. Naruto shrugged his shoulders. He had never needed as much sleep as his friends and family. Naruto also recovered much more quickly than anyone he knew.

'_Guess there are some benefits to the Kyūbi after all,'_ Naruto thought. The conversation with Yuji had been really quick, but Naruto realized that his sensei merely wanted to reassure him. It was a small gesture, but Naruto was incredibly grateful for it.

"I can't wait to go home," Naruto whispered to himself. He couldn't believe his first C-rank would be so intense. _'Though, if I'm honest with myself, the 'castle' and Den weren't part of the mission.'_

"I wonder if we'll get rewarded for completing extra missions," Naruto thought out-loud. Now, that was a happy thought. He wondered how much ramen he could buy off the reward for a B-rank mission.

* * *

Neji led his teammates through the halls of the Hyūga compound. Team Guy was about to enter the Main Branch Wing when Minoru rose from a bench.

"Your punctuality does you credit, Neji-san," Minoru said with pride. Neji smiled back at the only Cadet officially on the Hyūga Council. Minoru had begun to grow his hair out like the rest of the council, but it only reached his shoulders.

"Thank you, Minoru-sama," Neji responded with a slight bow. Neji considered Minoru the only member of the council other than his uncle worthy of the honorific sama. Thus, when Neji addressed Minoru there was no sarcasm hidden in the honorific.

"Hiashi-sama has been summoned to a meeting with the Hokage. I will be the observing Council member in Hiashi-sama's stead," Minoru explained.

"And my father?" Neji questioned. He felt at ease with Minoru. They were both 'Cadets' and shared the burden of the Hyūga Juinjutsu.

"Hizashi-san is waiting for us in his office. How was your training today?" Minoru said conversationally.

"It was most exhilarating," Rock Lee practically shouted.

"I just wish Guy-sensei would give us a C-rank or something. D-ranks aren't just boring; they can't pay the bills," Tenten complained. Neji remained silent as Minoru led them to a small sitting room. Hizashi was waiting and smiled at Neji and his teammates.

"Thank you for coming," Hizashi said with a slight bow of the head.

"You're welcome sir," Tenten said a bit nervously. She and Neji hadn't _exactly_ told Hizashi they were _officially_ dating. They were sure that Neji's father knew, but hadn't brought the subject up. Hizashi remained impassive. This _was_ an official inquiry after all.

"We are always eager to assist our friend," Rock Lee said politely.

"Very well, please, have a seat," Minoru motioned to the Genin. Team Guy took a seat. "Neji has brought a very serious accusation before the Hyūga Council. The use, or attempted use, of the Caged Bird Seal outside of the Hyūga Compound is a serious breach of clan protocol. In order to formally address the concerns; we need both of your statements on the event."

"Of course, Minoru-sama," Tenten agreed.

"Lee-san, could you give your statement on the…confrontation," Hizashi spoke crisply, but no one could deny the bitter coldness in the way he said confrontation.

"I would be happy to," Lee said with enthusiasm. The taijutsu specialist recounted every detail he could remember. Minoru and Hizashi recorded Lee's statement. Tenten had been sitting quietly during Lee's deposition. She hadn't seen as much of the confrontation as Lee. However, she _needed_ to add _something_ to make sure Yuudai got punished. Tenten rummaged through her memories and was struck by how obvious the _reason_ Yuudai acted.

"Tenten-san," Minoru spoke and wrenched the young woman from her recollections.

"Yes, Minoru-sama?"

"Please give us your account of the incident." Minoru gestured with his hand. Tenten took a single breath.

"Honestly, Lee saw more than I did." Tenten frowned as she made her admission. "But…I think I know what set Yuudai off."

Hizashi and Minoru gave Tenten an inquisitive look. The two Hyūga gave no indication that they noticed Tenten's lack of honorific. Tenten took their silence as permission to continue.

"Yuudi approached Neji to ask whether Hinata-sama had returned to the village. Neji mentioned that Hinata-sama and Naruto-san hadn't returned from their mission yet. Yuudai wasn't thrilled about Hinata being around 'one such as Uzumaki'. Neji said that he trusted Naruto-san and that Hinata-sama and Naruto-san shared a strong bond. _That_ seemed to set Yuudai off. Is there something going on between Yuudai, Hinata-sama and Naruto-san?"

"Yuudai views Hinata-sama as a pathway to greater influence within the Clan. He attempts to hide his quest for greater power behind a veneer of pinning for Hinata. Yuudai views Naruto as an obstacle to the power he covets." Hizashi struggled to maintain his impartiality.

"That is likely one of the underlying cause of the incident. Yuudai had also returned from a long-term border patrol," Minoru observed.

"Yuudai isn't going to get away with this is he?" Tenten blurted out.

"Hiashi-sama is responsible for the final decision on such matters. I will recommend an appropriate censure. It will be up to the clan head to decide on the official punishment," Minoru explained.

The other two members of Team Guy accepted Minoru's explanation. They were hoping Yuudai's punishment would be immediate. However, the knowledge that Hiashi would be deciding the punishment put them at ease. Minoru rose from his seat. Hizashi and Team Guy rose from their seats as well.

"I thank you for assisting the Hyūga Clan in this Inquiry." Minoru bowed slightly in thanks. The others returned the bow. The Hyūga Councilor was the first to leave the office.

Lee bowed to his teammates and Hizashi. "I am glad that I could be of assistance. If you would excuse me, I must meet with Guy-sensei for our afternoon training."

"See-ya, Lee!" Tenten waved happily at her slightly eccentric friend.

"I will see you tomorrow, Lee," Neji said formally. "Do you need someone to show you out?"

"The Hyūga compound is sensibly designed! I am confident that I will find my way out successfully and if I fail, I shall run ten laps around your ancestral home to memorize its layout!" Lee pumped his fist. Neji rolled his eyes as he knew Lee was attempting to rib him. Tenten covered her mouth and tried to control her laughter. She loved her boys. She really did.

Hizashi cleared his throat. "Tenten-san and Neji, I ask that you stay for a moment." Neji and Tenten both tensed at Hizashi's tone of voice.

"O-of course, father," Neji said nervously and Tenten gulped.

"May I ask when you were planning of informing me of how far your relationship had progressed?" Hizashi crossed his arms.

"That is an excellent question, Hizashi-san…Neji, why don't you answer your father?" Tenten asked.

Neji shot his girlfriend a glare that practically shouted _'traitor'_.

* * *

Hiashi was waved into the Hokage's private office by Raido and Genma. The Hyūga patriarch nodded in thanks. Hiruzen was sitting at the desk with a stern look on his face. The God of Shinobi's stance and mood immediately put Hiashi on edge.

"Please, have a seat Hiashi-san. Tsume-san has not arrived yet," Hiruzen said calmly.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Hiashi said formally. The Hyūga took his seat with perfect posture. The Third Hokage, however, was widely renowned as The Professor. The Hokage could read body language better than anyone without the Byakugan and he knew how close to panicking Hiashi was.

"I have received a hawk from one of our safehouses within the Land of Fire's borders," The Hokage announced. Hiashi immediately tensed in anticipation. "It was from Wanatabe Yuji."

Hiashi's paternal instincts nearly overwhelmed him. He was a hare's breath away from leaping out of his seat and demanding answers. Fortunately, Raido opened the door and ushered a grim and worried looking Tsume and Kuromaru into the office.

"I thank you both for your timely arrival," The Hokage said diplomatically. Tsume crossed her arms as she sat down. Hiashi also made his impatience clear. Hiashi's was a subtle message, but one the Hokage clearly read. "As I told Hiashi-san moments before your arrival, Tsume-san, we received a Hawk from Jonin Wantanabe Yuji."

"Our children?" Tsume struggled to keep her voice even.

"Are alive and recovering. Their assigned mission was a success. However, there were a series of…complications. Wantanabe-san only mentioned they encountered a 'summon' in the former Land of Necks and were later engaged by the A-rank Missing-nin, Shimizu Den," the Hokage reported.

"Kumo made a second attempt on my daughter!" Hiashi said in an icy tone. His rage was cold and infinitely more threatening than if he had been raving. Hiashi was in complete control of his actions. Tsume, by contrast, was fiery in her emotions. She was snarling and actively seeking an outlet for her righteous anger.

"The Raikage declared Den a Missing-nin after the first attempt to kidnap Hinata-chan," Hiruzen reminded both parents.

"So A said," Tsume growled.

"I must concur with Tsume-san," Hiashi steepled his fingers. "Den was above all else, a nationalist. I find it hard to believe he was not funneling information to Kumo."

Hiruzen took a drag on his pipe. "We are well aware of Den's activities. However, he is no longer a threat to Konoha. Naruto defeated him in single combat while the rest of the team was incapacitated."

"How was my child 'incapacitated'?" Tsume asked dangerously.

The Hokage nodded in understanding. He was a parent himself, after all. "According to Wantanabe-san's missive, Kiba suffered a concussion in the confrontation with a rogue summoned creature. In spite of his handicap; he acquitted himself quite well in the battle against Den and the missing-nin hired by our enemy. Wantanabe-san assured me that Kiba is up and moving under his own power."

"What about Akamaru?" Tsume asked sharply. She was insulted that the young nin-ken had been forgotten by the Hokage.

"Wantanabe-san reports that Akamaru is also moving under his own power. Team Four triumphed in a series of incredibly taxing battles. I know this is small comfort, but your children and clan ward will have a B-rank and an A-rank mission added to their official records," Hiruzen offered as a platitude.

"Hokage-sama, is there any word on when my daughter, Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru will be returning?" Hiashi asked with only the slightest hint of a demand.

"I am not sure." The Professor lifted a hand to forestall any outbursts. "I have, however, deployed Tenzō to meet with Team Four and ensure they reach Konoha without further incident."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Tsume said. She wouldn't be completely at ease until her son and Akamaru were back in Konoha. However, it was a nice gesture by her superior.

"We thank you for the update, Hokage-sama," Hiashi seconded his comrade's sentiment.

"You are welcome. I am sure you have many clan concerns to see to. Thank you for your time," the Hokage said as way of dismissal. Hiashi and Tsume rose from their seats and bowed to their leader. They quickly exited the room, because neither parent wanted to let their worry be seen by the Hokage.

* * *

Hana hummed to herself as she finished her diagnostic jutsu. "Well, the good news is, I don't see any obvious signs of damage to your eyes."

"That's a blessing," Kō barely breathed the words in relief.

"That being said, I'm a vet," Hana admitted. She turned to a piece of parchment and jotted down some notes. "My report will just give the Hyūga apothecaries a direction to go."

"I thank you for your help, Hana-san," Kō said politely.

"You're welcome," Hana said as she scratched the closest of her three ninken. "If you hear anything about Team Four…"

"I will let you know," Kō promised. "I just hope Naruto doesn't give me a reason to strangle him after I hug him."

"I'm hoping the same thing about Kiba." Hana's words held a hint of mischief. "I'll be in charge of hiding the bodies."

Kō laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Well, Hana-san, I must be going. I've put off those stodgy old men long enough. It was a pleasure."

"Likewise, Kō-san," Hana bowed. The Three Haimura brothers barked in unison. "They seem to like you."

"Well, that's a relief," Kō laughed. "Perhaps we will run into each other later…for other reasons than strangling our little brothers?"

"I would like that," Hana said with a smile. "Mainly because I don't think my clan would approve of fratricide."

"It would be an awkward subject around the dinner table," Kō admitted.

* * *

The gates of Konoha never looked so beautiful. Team Four had been through agonizing battles. The relief and excitement of seeing their home was nearly overwhelming. Hinata, Kiba, and Naruto were caught between the last throes of childhood and the beginnings of adulthood. However when they saw their home, the children within Team Four won out. They ran. They ran, despite their fatigue and wounds.

Wantanabe Yuji knew they needed this. He remembered the first time he returned to Konoha after a stint on the frontlines of the Third Great Shinobi World War. Tenzō, the ANBU who had met them several miles outside of Konoha, nodded a single time before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

"I never thought I'd be so glad to see those grey walls!" Kiba exclaimed.

Hinata laughed. "I always thought they looked a bit boring, but they are beautiful!"

"I can't wait to get some ramen from Ichiraku," Naruto said simply. His teammates turned and gave Naruto a questioning look. "What? I've had a craving for ramen ever since we left Hidakagawa!"

The truth, however, was that Naruto was hoping for some time alone to think. Kiba's semi-rant in Mashiro's safehouse had really sent Naruto for a tailspin. _'What _are _my goals in life? I don't know much beyond…making Chūnin I guess?'_

"We can sate Naruto's addiction later," Yuji interrupted. "First, we must report to the Hokage."

Team Four beamed at their sensei's declaration. The shinobi worked their way through the gates and streets of Konoha towards the Hokage's Tower. Kiba swore the entire time he would get Naruto 'help' and 'stage an intervention' over his best friend's ramen 'addiction'.

"Come on, Hinata-chan! You have to help me!" Naruto pleaded. He desperately needed Hinata's help to defend his favorite food. Naruto _knew_ Hinata enjoyed ramen too.

"I will help you, Naruto-kun…by joining Kiba in the intervention," Hinata said solemnly.

Naruto let an exasperated cry escape. In truth, he was thrilled. It was almost as if nothing had changed. Akamaru barked and yipped at Naruto as well.

"Not you too, Akamaru! I thought at least _you_ would be on my side." Naruto overacted a pained expression. At least, he thought it was a pained expression.

"Are you alright, Naruto-kun? You look like you are choking!" Hinata asked in concern.

"I am choking…on tears, Hinata-chan," Naruto deadpanned.

"Is that even possible?" Kiba asked in disbelief. "What you said makes…negative sense!"

"Geez Kiba, quit ruining the moment," Naruto scoffed and waved off Kiba. His faux-seriousness shattered and Naruto erupted into laughter as he opened the door to the Hokage's Tower. Wantanabe Yuji led his team into the Hokage's office. Team Four fell in behind their commander as decorum and professionalism dictated. However, they couldn't erase the smiles dominating their faces.

"Team Four, reporting successful completion of the C-rank escort mission to the Land of Honey," Yuji announced.

The Hokage set his paperwork down. "Today is a day for joyous returns, it seems. Please, Jonin Wantanabe, give your report."

Wantanabe launched into the report of Team Four's escort mission. The Hokage occasionally entered the conversation to ask specific questions to each of the team members. Kiba, Naruto, and Hinata all answered the questions professionally and proudly. Yuji recognized the ploy almost instantaneously. The Hokage was reinforcing Team Four's sense of accomplishment.

"Excellent work on your primary mission," the Third Hokage said warmly. "What incident followed the competition of the escort mission?"

"We encountered a rogue summon," Yuji explained. "Kiba and I were incapacitated for much of the encounter. Hinata was the primary reason we survived. She can explain the incident in greater detail."

Hinata flushed slightly at the attention. "W-Well, we worked as a team to survive."

"I am pleased to hear that, Hinata-chan," the Hokage said informally. "Please, deliver your report."

Hinata took a single breath to steady herself. She began explaining the encounter with the Chameleon summon and Kubisaki Goza. Hinata failed to mention her possible possession. The Hokage was pleased that Team Four secured a powerful summoning contract and removed a threat to sage passage between Konoha and the Land of Honey. Kiba and Naruto were not excluded from the debriefing. Hiruzen made sure to receive the boys' perspective on the mission as well.

"Hokage-sama, there is more," Wantanabe Yuji added after Hinata finished her report.

"Of course," Hiruzen acknowledged the Jonin. "However, it can wait until after we have some tea."

The Hokage called for an aide to bring in a pot of tea. Team Four graciously accepted the offered refreshment.

"Please continue with your report," the Third ordered.

"We were ambushed by Shimizu Den and a team of either unaffiliated or missing-nin," Wantanabe said firmly. Yuji began a more detailed explanation of the encounter than his earlier correspondence had allowed.

The Hokage sighed when Yuji and Naruto expressed their belief that Naruto tapped into the Kyūbi's chakra. Naruto was adamant that he did not have _any_ contact with the Kyūbi. Wantanabe supported his student's declaration.

"Team Four, you have made Konoha very proud," Hiruzen said grandly. "I, in my authority as Hokage, herby reward you not only with the assigned C-rank, but a B-rank _and_ an A-rank mission."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," the assembled shinobi responded.

"You are welcome," the Hokage said. "Kiba-kun and Hinata-chan, you are dismissed and may return to your families."

"Hokage-sama, with all due respect, the Hyūga Clan has accepted Naruto-kun as a member of the family," Hinata said politely.

"Already?" Kiba teased before the Hokage could respond. Hinata and Naruto blushed a bit. The Hokage was not mad at Kiba's interruption. In fact, he was amused.

"I appreciate your loyalty to Naruto-kun, Hinata-chan. The discussion I will be having with Naruto and Wantanabe-san is about the Kyūbi. I am deeply grateful that both of you are loyal to your teammate and have accepted his…condition. That being said, the specific workings of Naruto's Seal are still state secrets," Hiruzen explained.

"Very well, Hokage-sama," Hinata replied and bowed. She turned her attention to Naruto. "I will see you later, Naruto-kun."

"Hokage-sama, when will we turn in our mission reports?" Kiba asked.

Hiruzen relit his pipe. "All three mission reports are due in one week's time."

"Of course, Hokage-sama," Kiba acknowledged the Third's point. "We can work out a time to get together and get these reports done soon."

"Good idea," Naruto verbally backed up Kiba.

Team Four exchanged one last goodbye. The moment Kiba shut the door, the Hokage turned to Naruto.

"Do you remember anything from when you called upon the Kyūbi's chakra?"

Naruto shook his head. "Only that I was scared. I was so scared I would lose Kiba, Yuji-sensei, Akamaru, and H-Hinata-chan."

"Naruto, is there anything else?" Yuji questioned.

"Well, I don't remember exactly, but there was a voice. I think it said cattle or chattel or something like that. I can't really remember. Everything after I realized Den had taken Hinata-chan is a red blur," Naruto revealed.

"Troubling," Hiruzen said with masterful understatement. "I will contact my student, Jiraiya. He has the greatest understanding of the Eight Trigrams Seal of anyone in the world."

"Heh, even my Seal connects me to the Hyūga," Naruto chuckled. He slipped a wide grin on his face to hide his own discomfort. The discomfort was two-fold. First, Naruto had been forced to think about his status as the Jinchūriki. Second, he was beginning to realize just how tied to the Hyūga Clan he was. Naruto didn't even know anything about his last name, his parents, or his personal heritage.

"It is an honor to be connected the Hyūga," the Hokage reminded Naruto.

"Is it an honor to be Uzumaki?" Naruto asked.

"The Uzumaki are an honorable clan steeped in history," Hiruzen assured Naruto.

Naruto looked away. "Then how come I never hear about _my_ clan?"

"The Uzumaki were never mentioned in the Academy?" Hiruzen narrowed his eyes.

"Whenever Mizuki-sensei taught history, he just mentioned the Shodai married Uzumaki Mito and that the Uzumaki Clan and Uzushiogakure was one of the early nations to recognize Konoha as a Shinobi village. We never went into depth about the nature of the clan."

"Naruto-kun, did the Academy not mention the importance of the red symbol on all Konoha's flak jackets?" Yuji asked.

"No," Naruto answered quickly. He wasn't sure he liked where this was headed.

"I will contact Iruka tomorrow. He will gather all the information about the Uzumaki Clan the Academy was _supposed _to teach. I will even collect some information for you from the Shinobi Library," Hiruzen said firmly. "We will correct this _oversight_."

"Thank you, Jiji," Naruto said gratefully. He was actually eager to study for once. This was the first time Naruto had ever had the opportunity to discover his own heritage. Kiba had really lit a fire in Naruto's belly. That conversation had spawned a disturbing mix of shame, excitement, and pride in Naruto's mind.

"You are welcome. I will keep you informed of my efforts to contact Jiraiya," the Hokage said with finality. "You have done exceptionally well, Naruto-kun."

"Thank you, Old Man Hokage," Naruto responded casually with a smile and even a bit of a bow.

Hiruzen smiled. "Naruto-kun and Yuji-san, you are dismissed. I am sure there are many people who wish to know of your safe return."

The Jonin and the Genin rose and bowed to the Hokage. Naruto and Yuji exited the office. They were both surprised to see Hinata waiting on a bench cradling her Summoning Contract. She looked up with a smile as Naruto approached.

"Naruto-kun, Hinata-chan," Yuji said quickly. "You both performed magnificently on the missions. I am very proud of both of you."

"Thank you, Wantanabe-sensei," Hinata said with a bow.

"Thanks, Uncle Yuji," Naruto said with a broad smile.

"You're welcome. My family is waiting for me at home and you two probably have something to talk about," Yuji said with a smile and departed.

The Jonin left the two teens staring at each other. Naruto and Hinata had so much to say to each other, but finding the words was very difficult. They had no clue where to begin. To Naruto's great shock, Hinata spoke first.

"I am sorry that I worried you, Naruto-kun."

"I _was_ worried about you, but you don't have to apologize. You saved all our lives from the Summoned Castle," Naruto tried to reassure his best friend and…no; it was probably too soon to make _that_ jump.

"W-Will you be coming back to the Compound? I'm sure Hanabi-chan, Father, and Neji-nii-san if he is home, will be thrilled to see you at dinner," Hinata asked hopefully.

"Not tonight. I'm sorry, Hinata-chan. The talk with Kiba earlier and the one with Yuji-sensei and Old Man Hokage really put a lot on my mind," Naruto admitted.

"They…they didn't criticize you for…the Kyūbi did they?" The concern in Hinata's question was unmistakable.

"Nah, they just got me thinking. Mainly about who I am and what I want from my life," Naruto confessed. "I realized I don't really have a clue about any of it. It is almost like your clan has been trying to make me into some kind of servant."

"T-That's not true!" Hinata said indignantly. "We all respect you so much! I would have never allowed it. _Father_ would have never allowed it!"

"I know. I'm just feeling like I'm wandering around aimlessly. Did you know the Uzumaki were…are a major clan with lots of history? That they evidently played a role in Konoha's early history?" Naruto asked. Hinata shook her head. Naruto took her hand.

"Old Man Hokage said at the Academy we were supposed to learn about my clan. I never knew about my own heritage. I've also never known what my own dreams were…kinda." Naruto wore a wistful smile.

"What are you going to do, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.

"Find my own path," Naruto said resolutely. "I'm going to head to the Academy and talk with Iruka-sensei. Hokage-sama mentioned he would have some information about my clan."

"Oh…w-what about that date you promised?" Hinata broached the subject carefully.

Naruto chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I've still got to plan that. I knew you wouldn't let me off the hook on that."

"Of course not," Hinata replied with a small smile. She wasn't used to seeing Naruto so introspective. The change was a bit jarring. Hinata just hoped he wouldn't decide during his meetings with Iruka-sensei and possibly the Hokage to make a complete break with the Hyūga.

"Besides, I wouldn't dream of it. I may have no clue about a lot of things, but I know there is one thing I'm rock-solid on," Naruto revealed.

Hinata noticed Naruto's blush and returned it. She loved these moments. These moments were _theirs_. She doubted that any of their peers had such a connection. Hinata would proudly admit, if pressed, that she was incredibly selfish when it came to Naruto. He was her rock and she did not want to share him.

"What are you sure of, Naruto-kun?"

"Us," Naruto said with a smile. He quickly kissed her on the forehead. "I'll see you soon. I want to visit with Iruka-sensei as soon as possible. The sooner I get this sorted, the sooner I'll be ready to face your clan again."

Hinata's blush intensified and she reveled in the display of affection. "I understand, Naruto-kun. I can't say I'm thrilled, but you deserve to find yourself."

"Hinata-chan, thank you," Naruto said sincerely. "I'll see you soon."

"I know," Hinata sighed. She suddenly looked up and Naruto noticed a mischievous glint in Hinata's eyes. Before he could respond, Hinata gave him a quick peck on the lips. "For saving me."

Naruto grinned and began to lean in for a fuller kiss. His brilliant plan was interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

"I am sure there are more…appropriate places for that than outside of my office," the Third Hokage interrupted. Naruto and Hinata froze and blushed a furious crimson. The two Genin apologized profusely and said their goodbyes. Hiruzen shook his head as he watched Naruto and Hinata go their separate ways after a few sideways glances. "I appreciate young love, but not when I'm trying to go get lunch."

* * *

Naruto had walked hand-in-hand with Hinata until they reached the exit of the Hokage's Tower. Hinata used her Byakugan to make sure no one else was 'sneaking' up on them. Once Hinata assured Naruto no one was coming, the young man gave Hinata a quick kiss on the cheek before dashing off. In truth, it was a way to placate Hinata. Naruto had no idea where his quest for information on his heritage would lead. All he knew was that it could possibly be a long search.

'_I don't want Hinata-chan mad at me,'_ Naruto thought nervously. He sighed as he debated heading back to the apartment to change clothes before meeting with Iruka-sensei. In the end, his desire for self-discovery outweighed the urgency of getting out of his mission attire. Naruto took off running towards the Academy.

He couldn't help but smile as the memories of the Academy came roaring back. Naruto could see himself racing Kiba to the classroom. The young man could hear Iruka-sensei or Mizuki-sensei yelling for them not to run in the hallways. Naruto continued to smile as other memories came rushing back. It was so hard to believe it had only been about three months since he graduated. A part of Naruto missed those simpler days. Another part was thrilled at how much he was growing as a shinobi and a person.

Naruto paused in front of the door to Iruka's classroom and peered through one of the windows. The Genin breathed a sigh of relief that the classroom was empty. _'I can't believe I remember the lunch schedule after all this.'_

Naruto knocked on the door and Iruka gave him permission to enter. "Hey, Iruka-sensei! It's been a while hasn't it?"

"It sure has," Iruka said with a smile. "How was your C-rank mission?"

Naruto chuckled mirthlessly. "The C-rank was a breeze. It was the unscheduled B and A ranks that were the problem."

Iruka paled and Naruto knew he wasn't going to get out of explaining everything to Iruka. Truthfully, Naruto was grateful to have someone not connected with his team, the Hyūga, or the Hokage to talk to. He was definitely going to talk with Kō-nii-san later, but it would be nice to have someone neutral to talk to for once. Naruto laid everything bare about the missions. It was a strange sensation, Naruto realized. The amount of stress he had been carrying was nearly overwhelming. As he provided his take on the missions, a question kept fighting to make itself known. Naruto decided not to fight the question anymore and simply ask it.

"Iruka-sensei, what makes a leader?"

* * *

Wantanabe Yuji could not express in words how excited he was to be headed to his home. The Jonin had missed his wife and his children painfully during his missions. He wanted to hold his family in his arms and slip out of the dark mindset he had dwelled in for the past few days. The ex-ANBU was about to round the final corner towards his home when he sensed someone watching him.

"You don't have to sneak up on me Kakashi-sempai," Yuji said with a grin.

Kakashi jumped down from his hiding spot. "Old habits die hard, Wani."

"I hope your mission went smoother than Team 4's," Yuji said as a semi-greeting. He didn't want to sound impatient, but he wanted to see his family.

"Did you run into an A-ranked Missing Nin with a B-ranked accomplice?" Kakashi asked with a laugh.

Wani shook his head. "Shimizu Den and three missing or unaffiliated ninja that wouldn't even earn a rank. That was _after_ we encountered a summoned-creature disguised as a castle."

"It seems both our Genin teams had a true taste of what this life entails," Kakashi said idly. Wantanabe had known Hatake long enough to realize Kakashi was leading to a point.

"I believe they passed that test," Yuji said proudly.

"Which leads me to my point," Kakashi replied and Yuji could tell the Copy-Nin was smiling behind his ever-present mask.

'_Called it,'_ Yuji thought to himself. "And what would that be, sempai?"

"I think Team Four is ready for another test."

Yuji stared at his former commander. He knew what test he was talking about. "The Chūnin Exams. With respect, Kakashi-sempai, I haven't made a decision. I won't be making that decision for a few days. Right now, the only thing I want to think about is spending time with my family. I want to hug my children and tell my wife I love her."

Kakashi nodded and there was an undeniable since of melancholy surrounding the Copy-nin. "I wanted to catch you before you got home. I think you should consider nominating Team Four. Tell Suzu I said hello."

"I'm sure she'll be thrilled to hear from you. We'll have to catch up some time," Yuji said genuinely. Kakashi nodded and started to depart. Wantanabe Yuji could only shake his head as Kakashi giggled at the Icha Icha book he seemingly produced from thin air.

The final walk to his home was blissfully silent. Yuji could feel the anticipation building inside of him as he saw his home. His son, Takao, was walking out the front door carrying a bag of trash. The young boy looked look and a large grin appeared on his face.

"Daddy!" Takao shouted as he dropped the garbage and ran over towards his father. The bag tore apart as it rolled down the stairs, but Yuji didn't notice and didn't care. All that mattered was he was hugging his son.

* * *

Iruka took a moment to think of a good way to answer Naruto's question. "There is no one answer to that Naruto."

"What do you mean?"

"You asked what makes a leader. Well, Naruto, there are many types of leaders. For example, Hokage-sama is a leader because of his experience, power, and charisma. Another leader, for example, might use fear instead of charisma. What is to say ruling because people like you is better than ruling through fear? The key, I think, is that there is something a leader projects that makes people choose to follow them," Iruka pointed out

"Why aren't there ever any easy answers?" Naruto lamented.

Iruka smiled in an attempt to put Naruto at ease. "I believe everyone has wondered that exact same question at least once in their lives. Naruto, is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"Well, I was talking with Hokage-sama earlier. He said that the Academy was supposed to teach us about the Uzumaki Clan. Mizuki-sensei never went in-depth beyond mentioning the Shodai Hokage married a Uzumaki. I really want to learn about _my_ clan," Naruto explained.

Iruka nodded. "I don't have that information available right now, but I can get it to you very soon."

"Thanks, Iruka-sensei," the young man said with a smile.

"I'm always happy to help my students. If there's anything else you need in the future, let me know."

Naruto took a deep breath. "Actually, I need to thank you."

"You've already thanked me," Iruka chuckled.

"Not for that. For treating me like _Naruto_ and not the _Kyūbi_," Naruto said earnestly.

Iruka fought off a frown. "You're welcome Naruto. I won't lie to you. You've been too upfront and honest for me not to return the courtesy. I wasn't thrilled to think that you would be in my class at first. My parents were killed when the Kyūbi attacked. However, the trust the Hyūga placed in you and your natural charisma and good will erased any doubts I had. I'm going to go back to your original question, Naruto. Don't change anything, Naruto. Nurture it, work hard, don't take any short-cuts and you'll discover what makes a leader."

* * *

Hinata had not gone straight home. Instead, she had gone to the library to look up what exactly a clan ward _was._ Naruto-kun had mentioned that he had no idea about his own heritage. She could not imagine what it would be like to know nothing of one's one clan! Hinata had been steeped in the traditions and legends of the Hyūga since birth! The lore of her clan was as much a part of Hinata as her Byakugan.

According to the traditions of Konoha, a clan ward was an individual or a smaller clan that was taken under the wing of a larger, more established clan for protection. The larger clan had a responsibility to assist and guide the decimated or newly-founded clan until the other clan was capable of existing on its own. Of course, there were expectations for the wards. The wards were expected to be political allies of the larger clan.

Hinata frowned as she read. There had been almost no guidance for Naruto-kun. The Uzumaki clan wouldn't be able to stand on its own for years. Hinata likely knew as much about Naruto's clan as he did. She was not amused. The Hyūga heiress rose to her feet and placed the books back on the cart. Determined, she left the library and headed straight home.

The return to the Hyūga compound was a quick one. Hinata hadn't quite run, but she strode purposefully. She entered her clan's home and saw her father speaking with Kō. Hinata was anxious to speak with her father, but would not interrupt.

So, she simply stood to the side in a posture that clearly radiated she had _words_. The ancient and obvious summoning scroll strapped to her back was also helping her nonverbal statement.

Hinata had expected some formal greeting from her father. The last thing she expected was to be engulfed in a hug.

The reaction was not the typical Hyūga reaction. However, Hinata was never so happy to have the traditions of her clan tossed aside. If this was what it was like, Hinata excitedly wondered how Neji-nii-san would react when the Juinjutsu was banished.

"You're safe, my daughter," Hiashi murmured several times. As much as Hinata welcomed the outpouring of parental care and love, she knew it would make the coming conversation difficult. She wanted to yell and ask why the Hyūga had failed in their duty to Naruto-kun while he had done everything asked of him.

But she couldn't yell at her father, not now. Instead, she simply cried into his shoulder. Hinata had been so scared.

* * *

Naruto walked through the training grounds of Konoha with his hands in his pockets. He wasn't really paying enough attention to his surroundings. _'I'm sure Yuji would give me that raised-eyebrow look that he uses when I'm not focused enough.' _Naruto laughed at the thought. The young genin's other thoughts were making him a bit nervous. Naruto had no idea how he was going to approach Kō-nii-san. A part of Naruto was really upset and hurt that Kō had never mentioned Naruto's clan or birth-family. Another part couldn't find any blame to lie at Kō's feet. The part that couldn't find any blame in Kō was winning out. Kō-nii-san was _Kō-nii-san_.

'_Think of something else,' _Naruto commanded himself. _'I'm going to find out on my own. I know Hinata-chan, Kiba, Iruka-sensei, Kō-nii-san, and Old Man Hokage will help me.'_

His thoughts wandered back to his earlier conversation with Iruka-sensei. The aftermath of the run-in with the 'Castle' and with Den were replaying over and over in his head. Yuji-sensei's words about having faith in one's teammates were mingling with Iruka's comments on charisma. A theory was beginning to form in Naruto's mind.

A leader had to believe and be believed.

That thought was a revelation. Naruto really needed to talk with Old Man Hokage or Hiashi-sama, eventually, about that.

'_I wonder if I could be that kind of person,'_ Naruto wondered. He shrugged off the thoughts and decided he couldn't put off going home any longer.

Naruto decided to cut through Training Ground Six to get home faster. He was about to hop over a downed log when he heard two people talking.

"Honorable Grandson, this chakra control exercise will put you ahead of your class! Trust in me, your elite tutor, to give you all the shortcuts needed to become Hokage!"

"I'll graduate early and I'll force everyone to accept me as Hokage! Konoha will have to recognize me as leader!" A young child answered the tutor enthusiastically.

Naruto felt his jaw drop. The title of Hokage was sacred. You couldn't force people to accept you as Hokage! The First and Fourth Hokages certainly hadn't forced anyone to follow them! Naruto clasped tightly to his idealized vision of his two heroes. He also remembered Iruka's words about there being no shortcuts to leadership. Images of Hiashi-sama struggling with the stresses of leadership also flared forward.

Leadership was sacrifice and choice.

"Who's there?" The tutor asked. Naruto hadn't realized he had spoken out loud.

'_No point in hiding,'_ Naruto mentally sighed. He jumped over the log and emerged from the brush. "Uzumaki Naruto."

"Ah, the Hyūga Ward," the Tutor said dismissively and adjusted his small sunglasses. Naruto bristled at the casual dismissal. "I would have thought that someone who had so many…_gifts_ provided from him since birth would appreciate shortcuts."

Naruto glared at the man and was about to fire off a biting retort. However, the man's ploy was as obvious as day. He was _trying_ to piss off Naruto. _'And I know why. He's one of those people. This guy hates what's sealed inside of me.'_

"The Hyūga have provided me with many opportunities. They also taught me _manners._ For example, it is incredibly rude and will likely turn people away from any potential leadership you may attempt to instill if you refuse to give your name." Naruto took a jab at the tutor.

"My name is Ebisu, _elite_ tutor to the worthy of Konoha," Ebisu introduced himself.

Naruto smirked. "I take it that since you've never tutored a Hyūga that they aren't among the worthy. I guess I'll need to inform Hiashi-sama of your opinion."

Ebisu paled and realized just how quickly he had been outmaneuvered. The _last_ thing he wanted was a rumor that he had insulted the Hyūga clan! "Apologies if my words could be taken as insult."

Naruto didn't reply, and it took all his self-control not to add a further edge to his smirk. Ebisu's student, whom Naruto recognized a little bit, was snickering at Ebisu's folly.

"I know you didn't mean to insult the Hyūga clan," Naruto said evenly. _'Even if the insult aimed at me was totally meant.'_

"If you will excuse us, Uzumaki-san…the Honorable Grandson must complete his training. It is a private matter, so I must ask that you excuse us." Ebisu said haughtily and adjusted his glasses again.

Naruto eyed Ebisu neutrally. It was a challenge, but he managed to give very little away. "I doubt the kid's parents named him 'Grandson' and I haven't heard of the 'Honorable' clan. What is his real name?"

The boy's face lit up as if someone had just handed him a real hitai-ate. "I'm Sarutobi _Konohamaru_!"

"Nice to meet you, Konohamaru." Naruto waved at the boy, but kept his focus on Ebisu.

"If you'll…" Ebisu began to repeat that Naruto should leave. However, Konohamaru cut him off.

"Neh, Naruto-san! Did you just come back from a mission?"

"Three technically," Naruto admitted.

"Cool! I bet you know all sorts of cool jutsu!" Konohamaru exclaimed and looked to Naruto expectantly.

Naruto suddenly had a devious idea. He hadn't had an idea like this since he gave up pranking after starting the Academy. There was something about Ebisu that was rubbing Naruto the wrong way. The young man was as determined to discredit and outwit Ebisu as he was with Yoshinori and the other Hyūga Councilors who were always trying to bring Hinata-chan down.

"That's not the most important thing about being a shinobi," Naruto countered.

Ebisu huffed and adjusted his glasses. It finally clicked for Naruto that it was a nervous habit of the tutor. "Jutsus, and their responsible use, are a defining characteristic of a proper shinobi! It demonstrates the status, skill, and potential of a shinobi! Leaders are always defined by their signature jutsu! The Shodai Hokage had his Mokuton. The Honored Yondaime had his Hiraishin!"

"That made them great shinobi. It didn't make them great leaders," Naruto hotly retorted. "Hashirama-dono was a great leader because he presented a vision of peace and stability that even his enemies believed in! The Yondaime, my hero, was a great leader because he could inspire others to greatness and was always willing to defend Konoha!"

Konohamaru was watching the debate wide-eyed. He never expected someone to challenge Ebisu on anything. It was amazing, but his mind was made up. Konohamaru was going to be Hokage.

"Y-You guys are really smart…but I'm still going to be Hokage so that everyone will be forced to acknowledge me as Konohamaru like you did instead of 'Honorable Grandson'," Konohamaru declared.

Naruto's shoulders slumped. "Then I'm sorry." Konohamaru let out a confused 'what' and Ebisu raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to have to become your rival. Write this one down, _Ebisu_."

"What?" Ebisu squawked.

"My name is **Uzumaki** Naruto and I will be the next Hokage!"

* * *

**Author's Note:** I can't really make any excuses for why it took me so long to get this chapter out. I had a lot of difficulty working out the kinks in the chapter and getting where I needed to be. I'm pretty satisfied with this incarnation (out of six tries) of the chapter. I hope that it lives up to expectations. Please review. **  
**


	18. Chapter 18

Naruto was feeling awfully good as he emptied his bowl of ramen. He had left the flabbergasted Ebisu and the unusually quiet Konohamaru several minutes ago. The young Uzumaki was thrilled that Ichiraku was so close by. A triumph and a new goal in life deserved a celebration.

"Would you like a third serving, Naruto-san?" Ayame, the server, asked with a smile. Naruto returned the young woman's smile.

"No, thanks. I've got to take care of a few things. It was great as always," Naruto said warmly. He paid his bill and left a tip before walking off.

'_Now what to do?'_ He could go to the library to research or he could head home and visit with Kō-nii-san. The second was infinitely more preferable. Naruto was just too naturally energetic to sit still for long. The jinchūriki was lost in a near complete daze as he thought about all he had to line up.

"Man, that was a drag of a mission," Naruto heard Shikamaru complain.

Ino loudly scoffed at Shikamaru's attitude. "Everyone has to do D-ranks and there weren't any C-ranks available!"

"Besides, it was cool to see part of Konoha's history. Did you two know about the Uzumaki Shrine before we had to clean it?" Chouji added.

"THE HELL?" Naruto shouted. Ino jumped at the sudden outburst and glowered at Naruto as he ran up to Team Ten.

"Geez Naruto, glad to see you are still loud," Shikamaru said with a hint of a smile.

"Hey Naruto," Chouji greeted his old classmate between a mouthful of chips.

"Sup guys. Hey Ino," Naruto returned the greeting. "What's this about the Uzumaki Shrine though?"

"We had to clean it today for a D-rank. Man, it was so dusty," Shikamaru grumbled.

Ino nodded. "Yeah, it was like no one had set foot in the place in years."

"Of course no one had set foot in it in years! If I hadn't overheard you guys I wouldn't have known about _my_ clan's shrine!" Naruto shouted.

"Wait, no one told you about your clan's shrine? Seriously, that's where your clansmen's remains are stored," Chouji responded.

"I'm just now getting permission to learn about my clan," Naruto fumed.

Ino blinked. "Why do you need permission to learn about your clan?"

"Well, I'm not sure if it's needing permission, but everyone has been real reluctant to tell me much," Naruto explained.

"I think we should take you there," Chouji said resolutely.

Ino nodded. "That is a really good idea Chouji! Come on, Shikamaru! You are coming with us, too!"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Shikamaru asked.

"We're helping a friend learn about his heritage! Wouldn't you want to learn about your clan's history if you were in Naruto's place?" Ino interrogated Shikamaru.

Shikamaru sighed. "I guess you're right. Let's go. It's a lot easier to just agree with you."

"Thanks guys," Naruto said with unmistakable gratitude. "I really owe you one."

* * *

Hinata had taken a seat across from her father's desk. Hiashi and Hinata were both recovering from their emotional outpouring and needed a moment to finish collecting themselves.

"I cannot express how happy I am to have you home safe, my daughter," Hiashi said warmly. "Your sister will be thrilled. It would not surprise me if she is trying to sneak out of the Academy so that she can see you at this very moment."

"I…I can picture Hanabi-chan doing that," Hinata giggled. "Thank you, Father."

"You're welcome, but I'm not sure what you are thankful for," Hiashi responded.

"Just…I'm just thankful for you, Father. I know the clan demands that we completely 'master' our emotions…it's just nice to know how much you care," Hinata explained.

"Hinata, you are my daughter. Damn the clan and their demands," Hiashi announced resolutely. Hinata's eyes went wide and for the second time she was on the verge of tears.

"T-Thank you, Father," Hinata repeated herself.

Hiashi smiled. "I am your father." He quickly crossed the room and hugged his daughter again. "Now, tell me about your mission…and why you have an enormous scroll on your back."

"Well, Team Four was given credit for three missions…" Hinata began. Hiashi knew a few of the details, but he also knew Hinata needed to talk about the mission. Hinata started with the C-rank and was grateful for the comforting presence of her father. The memories of her first kills were especially difficult.

"Our C-rank was successful, but the return to Konoha was nothing we could have prepared for," Hinata began. "We were caught in a storm and took refuge in a nearby castle."

The Hyūga patriarch nodded. The Hokage had explained the basics of the mission earlier, but Hiashi knew how important this conversation was to his daughter's mental wellbeing. Hinata recounted seeing the 'ghost' of Kubisaki Goza. Hiashi was disturbed that the 'ghost' only appeared with normal eyesight.

'_How could something be invisible to the Byakugan? There is no record of anything remotely similar to what Hinata is describing,'_ Hiashi thought somewhat nervously. Hiashi's nervousness became outright fear when Hinata revealed Goza's spirit had 'guided' her through the hand seals and influenced her actions. The Hyūga Clan leader's heart nearly felt into his stomach when he learned Hinata had fallen unconscious due to Chakra exhaustion.

"Hinata," Hiashi said in a tightly controlled voice. He was still terrified by how close Hinata had come to death. The details of her condition made him realize how completely helpless Hinata had been when Shimizu Den had struck. "I am proud of you. You fought will skill in the C-rank and saved your teammates from a powerful summoned creature."

Hinata smiled and whispered a thank-you to her father. She still wanted to be mad at her clan, and by extension her father, for failing Naruto so completely in their status as his warden. Unfortunately, her father was praising her profusely by his standards. Hinata had always sought her father's approval, and combined with his patient ear while Hinata recounted her traumatizing first missions, had almost made her consider dropping her concerns for the day.

"I-I cannot recall any of the encounter with Shimizu Den due to my condition," Hinata concluded.

"I am just thankful to heaven that you returned safely to us," Hiashi repeated his sentiments from earlier. "I must extend my eternal gratitude to Naruto for his actions as well."

'_This is it,' _Hinata declared to herself. "Then perhaps we can begin by correcting some failings in our wardenship towards the Uzumaki clan."

Hiashi frowned. He was aware this moment would rear its ugly head, but it was earlier than he planned. Hizashi and Hiashi had hoped to reveal information about Naruto's connection to the Uzumaki after Naruto was promoted to Chūnin. The Hokage had followed up the meeting where the twin Hyūgas had convinced the Hokage to inform Naruto of the Kyūbi with a strongly worded scroll. It said in no uncertain terms that the Hyūga were not allowed tell Naruto about his heritage until he became a Chūnin, nor were they allowed to enlist any outside aid in revealing Naruto's heritage. Beyond that, Hiashi and Hizashi _had_ originally planned to hone Naruto into a tool to break the power of the Hyūga Council forever. It _was_ still happening, but not in the way they had planned. Truthfully, Hiashi preferred the way everything was developing. His family was thriving and happy. He felt…complete in a way he didn't believe possible after Hiromi had died.

'_You would be so proud of our daughters,'_ Hiashi thought. He caught a glimpse of the determined fire in Hinata's eyes and actually smiled. _'So very proud.'_

* * *

Naruto was quiet as he wandered the grounds out in front of the Uzumaki Shrine. It was fairly large, but it was obvious that it hadn't been cared for in a long time.

"I gotta admit, I am pretty pissed." Naruto's stance revealed his anger. "No offense, but if anyone should have gotten a D-rank to care for this shrine it should have been me."

Ino nodded her head. "I was glad for the mission, but you're right Naruto. This is connected to your clan. You should be in charge of maintaining this place."

"We only took care of the entry area," Chouji added. "The D-rank gave us permission to enter the main areas of the shrine, but we refused."

"Violating another clan's sacred ground isn't something we were going to do," Shikamaru agreed.

"Thanks you guys," Naruto said genuinely. "I'm glad you all showed this place to me. Something's telling me not to go in yet, though."

"We're happy to help," Ino said warmly. "Just remember to come in to the flower shop and buy the single most expensive bouquet we have for your next date with Hinata."

"Sure thing, Ino," Naruto laughed. "Thanks you guys."

"Don't mention it," Shikamaru said with a shrug. Chouji waved and Naruto returned it before Team Ten wandered off. Naruto took a deep breath before turning towards a nearby fence. "You know, that disguise only works if you match the lines up with the boards of the fence."

Konohamaru dropped his disguise. "You saw that?"

"I did. Gotta say, Konohamaru, you did a pretty good job following me," Naruto admitted. The younger boy grinned broadly.

"Do you have any tips?" Konohamaru asked excitedly.

Naruto chuckled. "Now, why would I give my rival tips?" He crossed his arms and tried not to burst out laughing at Konohamaru's shocked expression. Naruto really didn't have anything against Konohamaru. It was Ebisu who had really angered Naruto. If anything, Naruto was actually _Ebisu's_ rival.

"You've probably done more missions lately than Ebisu-sensei! You're more of a ninja than he is!" Konohamaru shouted and bowed.

Naruto saw what Konohamaru was doing. It was a play to Naruto's ego. Now, Naruto didn't really nurture his ego, but he still had one. _'Clever kid, clever.'_

"He's still a ninja. Our biggest difference is philosophy. I have to admit, he has the right idea about starting you out with chakra control." Naruto watched as the gears turned in Konohamaru's head.

"Y-You actually agreed with Ebisu-sensei?" Konohamaru gasped once it hit him.

"Of course, chakra control is very important. Chances are that good chakra control will save your life one day. My issue is that he called it a short-cut to being a leader." Naruto ran a hand through his hair as he explained.

Konohamaru nodded. "I remember you talking about that."

"Do you still want a tip?" Naruto asked. He was hopeful that Konohamaru would talk to his grandfather about the Will of Fire soon.

Konohamaru nodded like Naruto had asked him if he wanted The Hat instead of just a tip. "You bet, boss!"

'_Boss?'_ Naruto thought with a goofy grin. "Alright, here is one of the key things about being a ninja. Heck, you can't get a hitai-ate at all without mastering this crucial technique!"

The Hokage's grandson leaned in expectantly. "What is it?"

"Teamwork! If you don't have good teamwork, it's impossible to be a successful shinobi. Sometimes, that means working with people you don't really like. There were these two people in my class at the Academy that Hinata-chan really didn't get along with. We all realized after we graduated that we were now shinobi of Konoha. If the Hokage ordered it, we would have to work together," Naruto explained.

"I'm going to have to be the Rokudaime, aren't I?" Konohamaru asked. He looked a bit crestfallen.

"I'm not so sure," Naruto said gently. The Gennin tried to use a tone he remembered Iruka-sensei using after the Uchiha Massacre, Kō-nii-san using after Naruto had some nightmares as a little kid, and Yuji-sensei had used while talking to him about the Kyūbi. "Your grandfather will probably be Hokage until we're thirty."

Konohamaru laughed. "Yeah, Grandad will probably be Hokage forever. Got any more hints on teamwork?"

"I think I have a few…" Naruto said with a smile. The two boys didn't know it, but they were being watched. Ebisu sighed to himself and adjusted his glasses. It seemed that he had misjudged Uzumaki Naruto. The boy was surprisingly well spoken and in possession of a strong moral center. The Hyūga clearly trusted Naruto since the relationship between Naruto and Hinata, the heiress, was widely known. Ebisu was very surprised by the maturity of Naruto's positions.

The elite tutor slipped from his position and made his away across Konoha. He arrived at a small and pleasant house he had visited a few times. Ebisu walked to the door and knocked twice. A young girl answered the door, partially.

"May I help you?"

Ebisu noted that the girl didn't open the door all the way. She probably was holding a kunai in the hand Ebisu couldn't see. "Yes, miss. I need to speak with Wantanabe Yuji."

"Who are you?" She asked while shifting her weight.

"I am Tokubetsu Jonin Ebisu. I can provide my ninja identification number if necessary," Ebisu said evenly. If he sounded too eager, it would set off all sorts of alarm bells. If he was reluctant, it would also set off alarm bells. Paranoia wasn't a disorder for ninja. It was a survival tactic.

"That won't be necessary, Ebisu-san," an older man spoke up. The door opened and Wantanabe Yuji stepped out. "How may I help you?"

"I wish to discuss one of your pupils; Uzumaki Naruto," Ebisu said plainly.

Yuji crossed his arms. Ebisu recognized the action as a warning. Yuji wasn't hostile, but he would not tolerate any insults against his students. Ebisu held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"My purpose here isn't to lodge a complaint. I merely wish, one teacher to another, to compliment your exceptional work with Naruto. He has surprised me with the depth of his knowledge."

"I am pleased to hear that Naruto-kun is carrying himself with pride and dignity. Unfortunately, I can't take sole credit for his nature. A great deal is simply Naruto but the Hyūga, specifically Kō, have helped shape Naruto," Yuji explained as he uncrossed his arms.

"I feel that I should apologize to Naruto for my misconceptions, but we had a rather heated argument on the nature of shinobi and leadership earlier. However, he shows exceptional potential and deserves the chance to demonstrate that potential."

'_The Chuunin Exams,'_ Yuji thought with resignation. "As you know, I am in command of a Gennin _team. _I must weigh each of my charge's abilities. All three are exceptional, but they are very young. I do not want to risk them."

Ebisu nodded. "I can understand that sentiment, Wantanabe-san. I have a single question that, perhaps, can help answer your own questions."

"I'm listening," Yuji said. He had to admit that he was curious about the question.

"Does the team rely solely on Naruto for its success and survival?"

Yuji instantly knew the answer to that question was no. Yes, Naruto's abilities and unique nature gave Team Four a substantial edge, but they were not the only reason for Team Four's miraculous survival in their string of missions. Kiba's scouting abilities and combat skills were instrumental in protecting the merchant convoy. Hinata had singlehandedly saved everyone from the enormous summon.

"No," Yuji admitted.

"Naruto and his teammates are your first students." Ebisu's words were not a question. They were a definitive statement.

"They are," Yuji confessed. "I have known Team Four for years, though."

Ebisu pushed his sunglasses up his nose. "Perhaps you are looking at the team from too personal a perspective."

"Perhaps," Yuji agreed.

Ebisu bowed politely. "I thank you for your time and do not wish to take any more of it. I'm sure you would much rather spend it with your family."

Wantanabe returned the bow. "Thank you Ebisu-san. You have given me a good deal to think about."

The tutor said his goodbye and left. Yuji headed back inside and smiled at his daughter. "Your stance was very good, Asami. You positioned so that you were protected from any attack and could easily respond if Ebisu had tried to force his way in."

"Thank you, Daddy," Asami beamed.

"It almost makes me forget that you dyed your hair," Yuji joked. His daughter had recently died her natural black hair so that it had several red streaks in it.

"Ah, Daddy, it's only temporary, and it makes me stand out!"

Wantanabe shook his head before creating a single kage bunshin. The kage bunshin walked out the front door quietly. "Do you still need help with your academics or have you gotten it down?"

"I think I got it. Why did you create a bunshin, and how is it acting on its own?" Asami asked.

"That's a kage bunshin. It's a very advanced Jonin-level technique. A kage bunshin can act on its own," Yuji explained.

Asami tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Then how come Uncle Naruto can use it?"

"Naruto-kun has a great deal of chakra," Yuji told as a partial truth. "Come on, that assignment won't finish itself."

* * *

Kō slowly approached the Uzumaki Shrine. He had actually found Naruto shortly after having the Hyūga apothecaries confirm Hana's diagnosis. This was going to be a difficult conversation. Kō watched as Naruto directed a number of kage bunshin in cleaning and preparing to fix a few areas of damage for the shrine.

"Hello, Naruto," Kō said with every ounce of brotherly affection he could muster.

"Kō-niisan!" Naruto shouted. It warmed the Hyūga's heart to see that even Naruto's clones were excited to see him.

"I see you found this place on your own," Kō said with a weak smile. Naruto's smile weakened as well.

"Team Ten helped me find it. Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji got a mission to clean my clan's temple. I ran into them at Ichiraku and they brought me here," Naruto explained.

Kō closed his eyes for a moment. "You can ask."

The silence was oppressive. Naruto tried to speak several times. He finally managed to find his voice. The question came out strained. "Why didn't you all tell me?"

"We wanted to," Kō answered in a small voice. "If you've never believed anything I've ever said, believe that we wanted to tell you. The Hokage declared it an S-rank secret. Your parents…they had many enemies in Kumo and Iwa. I'm skirting with a capital offense by telling you that much. I-I want to tell you everything. I've nearly broken down and told you so many times. I know Hiashi-sama has nearly told you before."

Naruto looked down. "Hiashi-sama mentioned it when he told us his plan for the Hyūga Clan."

Kō had become privy to Hiashi-sama and Hizashi-sama's plans to radically reform the clan. He had seen the benefits of Hiashi-sama's plot. The dire rifts in the Hyūga clan were beginning to heal. It was almost as if Naruto's actions the night of Hinata-sama's third birthday had given the entire clan a new batch of courage.

"I've failed you," Kō confessed. Naruto looked up at Kō in naked disbelief. "I should have taught you more about your heritage. I should have had _courage._"

"D-Don't talk like that, Onii-san. You…you've done so much for me. I'm _happy_. I'm upset about this right now, but I'm happy because of you," Naruto pleaded.

Kō didn't say word and wrapped his little brother up in a hug. Naruto was overwhelmed and cried as he hugged Kō back. "I don't think you've cried like this since that first microwave dinner years ago."

"I-I haven't," Naruto admitted. "You're not going to tell anybody?"

"You're secret is safe with me," Kō assured Naruto while blinking back a few tears of his own. "Now, let's go home and trade stories about all the manly and badass things we did on our missions."

* * *

Kiba decided that he might as well get started on his mission report. His report would be much shorter than Naruto or Hinata's, so he might as well. Akamaru was resting in the corner of the room. Hana had given him a proper look over. Mashiro had actually done a pretty good job looking over Kiba's partner. The old Chūnin just wasn't an Inuzuka. Hana just knew Akamaru's nature better than anyone other than Kiba. There had been a time where Kiba had pestered his big sister to teach him medical ninjutsu. He had wanted to be able to really take care of his partner. Sadly, Kiba didn't have the chakra control necessary to master medical ninjutsu. The young Inuzuka was grateful for what he had learned, though. Kiba knew that the knowledge made him a more complete ninja.

A knock at his door drew Kiba from his thoughts. "Yo?"

"Kiba, Mom's asking for you," Hana said through the door. Kiba put down his pen and realized he only had barely filled out the identification form.

"Be there in a second," Kiba said. He walked over to Akamaru's spot in the corner and scratched his ears. "Come on, partner."

Akamaru yawned as he stretched out. The ninken looked up as his human partner.

"I don't know yet," Kiba revealed. The two partners exited Kiba's room and headed to the common's area. "Wantanabe-sensei?"

It was a huge surprise to Kiba to see his Jonin sensei visiting with his mother. He knew that his mom had been Wantanabe-sensei's Jonin instructor. Still, Kiba was surprised to see his sensei in his home.

"Hello Kiba," Yuji said warmly. "How is your recovery progressing?"

"We're doing better. I've tried to start my report," Kiba reported.

"That's good to hear," Wantanabe responded. "I came to get some advice from Tsume-sensei and I learned something interesting. Did you really attempt to learn medical ninjutsu as a kid?"

Tsume and Yuji chuckled as Kiba flushed a bit. "Yeah, I wanted to be able to really take care of Akamaru."

"Kiba, have you continued to study anything related to medicine?" Wantanabe asked. Kiba looked to his mother and she nodded.

"A bit," Kiba admitted. "I've only recently picked it back up. After our mission and everything that happened, I've really tried to make it something I can use in the field."

Yuji nodded. "Excellent."

"You've been good today, Kiba," Tsume jumped into the conversation. "Why don't you go hang out in the village for a while?"

Kiba quickly understood that his mom and his sensei had something to discuss in private. He wasn't too worried about the conversation. Kiba had noticed a few of Yuji-sensei's cues. The fact Kiba could even get a read on his teacher's mood was a huge relief. That meant Yuji was comfortable and in a good mood. Akamaru had given off subtle signals about the mood in room. Kiba and Akamaru decided to take Tsume's advice.

"Sounds like a good idea," Kiba answered. "Wantanabe-sensei, when will Team Four meet for training again?"

"You have a final check up tomorrow, correct?"

"Yes sir. The docs say I'll probably be medically cleared," Kiba conformed for his Jonin instructor.

Wantanbe leaned back in the chair. "We'll meet the day after tomorrow at 7 a.m."

"Yes sir. I'll let Naruto and Hinata know," Kiba spoke quickly. The small group exchanged goodbyes and Kiba exited his clan's compound. He held off on finding his teammates. Hinata was probably giving her reports to her clan. Naruto was somewhere off to east.

"Want to grab a bite to eat before catching up with Naruto?" Kiba asked Akamaru. The ninken barked an affirmative. The partners found a quiet bistro that was known for allowing Inuzuka ninken inside. Kiba ordered a bit more than he normally did. He wasn't worried about money at the moment. The payment from the B-rank alone was more money than Kiba had ever seen.

After paying, Kiba wandered into the parks of Konoha. He played catch with Akamaru, but was distracted.

"What are you planning, Yuji-sensei?" Kiba wondered out loud. There was no doubt in the young man's mind that his sensei was planning something _huge_. _'Naruto is pretty close to Wantanabe-sensei.'_ Kiba remembered. As Kiba looked for Naruto, he was glad to be doing something familiar. His mind was racing, and as such Kiba took comfort in the familiar sensation of tracking.

Eventually, Akamaru and Kiba managed to follow the clues to a nice apartment complex a decent distance from the traditional Clan districts. The pair climbed the stairs and knocked on the door where Naruto's scent was strongest.

"Hello?" Naruto asked without opening the door.

"It's me, Naruto," Kiba answered. "We need to talk. I think something's up."

"Come on in," Naruto said quickly. "After the craziness of our missions, we need to be prepared for anything. What's going on?"

"I don't think it's anything _bad_, but after what we went through…" Kiba trailed off as he and Akamaru entered the common room. He waved at Kō and the Hyūga Jonin motioned to a seat.

"If you two need to talk about this in private, I can head to the kitchen," Kō offered.

Kiba shook his head. "It is up to you. I'm really not sure what's going on. Like I said, I don't think it's anything bad."

"So, what exactly went down?" Naruto asked and motioned to a nearby chair.

Kiba smiled in thanks as he sat down. "Wantanabe-sensei was visiting with my mom earlier. He asked about some of my other skills. When I told him I was starting to study first aid again, he answered 'excellent'."

"That's odd. I haven't run into Yuji-sensei since I got back, but I had a weird run in earlier," Naruto responded.

"What happened?" Kiba asked.

Naruto rested his hands behind his head. "Ran into some guy named Ebisu. We, uh, debated each other over leadership. I've…kinda…declared that I want to be Hokage."

"Good to see that your keeping the goals small," Kiba snarked.

The two boys laughed a bit. Naruto shook his head and grinned widely. "I wonder what's going on with Hinata-chan? Maybe she had a crazy moment."

"I think we should find out," Kō suddenly spoke up. "I have a feeling I know why Yuji visited with Tsume-sama."

Akamaru yipped a few times and Kiba translated. "Akamaru says he can tell that it is a bit more than a feeling."

"He's a clever one," Kō laughed. "I think it is something I should mention to all of Team Four."

The Hyūga Jonin noticed the looks Naruto, Akamaru, and Kiba exchanged. "Don't worry, it's not anything bad. Kiba-san's instincts were spot on. There isn't anything to be too worried about."

The two young men of Team Four visibily relaxed. "Let's go, then. All this curiosity is driving me crazy," Kiba said. Naruto and Kō were the first to head to the door. Akamaru gave Kiba an odd look. Kiba simply smiled back. The partners headed out the door with the Hyūga and the Hyūga ward.

'_Somehow, Naruto as Hokage just fits,' _Kiba thought. _'At least I know I'll get my pick of my future Gennin teams.'_

* * *

Hiashi sat quietly and sipped on a cup of green tea. He didn't really need anything to drink, but the cup provided an excellent camouflage for his amused smirk. The Hyūga elders had absolutely no idea why they had been summoned.

"Hiashi-sama, may I ask why the council has been summoned?" Yoshinori asked. Hiashi took a moment to compose himself. Yoshinori was becoming increasingly belligerent. Recently, even Takeshi had begun to distance himself from Yoshinori on several issues.

"My daughter has returned from her missions and wishes to inform the clan of several triumphs," Hiashi responded proudly. Yoshinori ground his teeth, but did not respond. Minoru, mercifully in Hiashi's opinion, spoke before the antagonistic elder could respond.

"Hiashi-sama, Hinata-sama was only assigned a single C-Rank mission."

"You are correct," Hiashi acknowledged Minoru with a polite nod. "Hinata was only _assigned_ a C-rank mission. The situation became…more complex than her team and Jonin-sensei expected. She will explain."

Hiashi nodded to the two cadet guards at the back of the chamber. They opened the doors and Hinata entered. There were several confused murmurs at the sight of the scroll Hinata carried. Hiashi watched as Hinata continued to keep the elders, even her allies, off balance. Her tone was measured and graceful as she waltzed through the traditional forms of announcing her desire to speak in front of the clan elders.

"Your petition to speak before the assembled, and honorable, elders of the Hyūga clan has been received. I, Hyūga Hiashi, acting in my capacity as head of the Hyūga clan accept your petition to speak." Hiashi's words sounded mechanical in his ears. Hinata's words seemed to be far more graceful and befitting the status of the Hyūga assembled in the room. Though, Hiashi admitted to himself, he was probably allowing paternal pride to cloud his judgement.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama," Hinata bowed low as she responded. "As the clan is no doubt aware, my team and I were assigned a C-rank mission. Team Four successfully completed the mission. The client left a letter of commendation for all members of the team."

Hinata paused as she allowed the first details to sink in. She noticed that Takeshi had motioned to Hiashi for permission to speak. Hiashi granted Takeshi permission as it would be poor form and an overt insult to deny him permission after Hinata paused.

"Hinata-sama, I am sure that the C-rank is not how you procured your scroll, but what were the details of your official mission?"

"Takeshi-sama," Hinata began politely. "Our C-rank was to escort a merchant convoy owned and operated by Yoshida Takumi to the Land of Honey. We were beset by bandits, but dispatched them quickly. I do not believe they even managed to land a solid blow on any member of Team Four."

The Hyūga Council nodded approvingly. Hinata felt pride swell in her chest.

"Please continue with your report, Hinata-sama. We of the clan council are eager to hear about the further honor you brought to the Hyūga Clan," Akihito said respectfully.

"Team Four was eager to return home," Hinata revealed. She told the council of the attempt to seek shelter in a castle that was just across the border from The Land of Honey in The Land of Necks. "The castle threatened us. I activated my Byakugan and realized that the castle was actually a living creature. Team Four was unaware of the nature of the castle. Our clients, our maps, and our knowledge of local history had confirmed that the castle was a fixture of the area since before the Second Great Shinobi World War. The 'castle' quickly attacked us. Naruto-kun fell victim to a mouth that materialized directly beneath his feet. I…I cannot recall many details after that. My anger, a redoubled attack by the creature, and the shock of seeing Wantanable-sensei hurt by an acid spray continues to cloud my memory. The next memory I possess is being tossed through an…orifice into a table. The next event is strange, even by the standards of the shinobi world, and I can offer no explanation. I am…troubled by the implications."

Minoru was granted permission to speak by Hiashi. "Hinata-sama, why did the next development trouble you so?"

"I saw Kubisaki Goza. He was completely invisible to my Byakugan, but I could easily see him with my normal sight," Hinata revealed.

As Hinata anticipated, the Hyūga council was visibly disturbed by the revelation. Takeshi asked if Hinata was concussed and that, perhaps, there was a simple medical explanation for the vision. Hinata informed the council that she was not concussed.

"The clan will look into this matter. There have been similar rumors and reports in the past, and the council feels this matter could be a potential threat to the Hyūga," Hiashi declared. The entire council, Yoshinori included, nodded in agreement. "Please continue, Hinata-sama."

"Kubisaki Goza's…spirit, perhaps...guided me through the castle. I didn't come under any further attack until I reached the chamber holding the summoning contract. Naruto-kun helped protect me as I secured the contract. I believe the castle resumed attacking me because Goza's spirit was no longer masking my presence from the summoned creature. I managed to secure the summoning contract with Naruto-kun's assistance and release the creature. The releasing of such a powerful summon left me with severe chakra exhaustion. I do not recall much of the return journey."

"Then, you have no recollection of Shimizu Den's attack?" Yoshinori asked after receiving permission to speak.

"My _unconscious_ state prevented me from having any knowledge of the battle," Hinata said with consummate politeness.

Yoshinori bristled, but did not press the issue. The rest of the meeting was fairly standard questions. Hinata informed the council that she had not attempted a summoning because Yuji-sensei had ordered Team Four not to undertake any intensive training for at least a week after their return to Konoha. The elders, surprisingly, agreed with Wantanabe.

"The clan council wishes to extend a formal commendation to you, Hinata-sama. The honor you have brought the clan is to be celebrated," Hiashi said in what he thought would be the closing statement of the meeting.

"Honored elders, there is another who has brought honor to the Hyūga, despite his status as a clan ward," Hinata challenged. Many of the elders looked concerned, but Yoshinori looked livid.

Hiashi had known Hinata would bring this point to the attention of the Council. He decided to forestall any lengthy debate. "You speak of Uzumaki Naruto."

"I do, Hiashi-sama," Hinata responded. She didn't like calling her father 'Hiashi-sama', but protocol demanded the formal address. "I have studied Konoha's laws on the relationship between the warden and the ward. I do not believe the Hyūga clan has fully honored the requirements of our arrangement. Naruto-kun has almost no knowledge of his own clan. The Hyūga have records that date back to the very founding of the shinobi world. We, no doubt, have numerous records regarding the Uzumaki clan."

Hinata's use of the _very_ familiar form of address was a completely unsubtle declaration of her opinion on the matter. Minoru received permission to speak from Hiashi. The clan head was nervous about the position the Council would take, but he had to acknowledge at least one of the elders.

"You are correct that Uzumaki-san has brought great honor to the Hyūga. He protected our bloodline from falling into the hands of one of the clan's greatest enemies. Additionally, Uzumaki-san ensured that final justice was delivered to the hated Shimizu Den. I request that the Clan Head allow Akihito-sama to attend to the Clan Records and begin tutoring Uzumaki-san in the history of Hyūga-Uzumaki relations."

Hiashi and Hinata were stunned. Minoru's motion was a greater victory than they could have ever hoped for. Hiashi brought Minoru's motion to a vote. It passed with only one negative vote from Yoshinori.

Hiashi and Hinata lingered in the Council Chambers for a while after the meeting had been adjourned.

"I-I had not expected that of Minoru-sama," Hinata admitted. "I know Naruto-kun will be thrilled to find out."

"What will I be thrilled to find out?" Hinata and Hiashi looked up at the sound of Naruto's voice. Hinata broke out in a relieved smile the second she noticed Naruto. Naruto's eyes no longer held any of the doubt or confusion that had plagued him outside of the Hokage's office. He was smiling again.

Hiashi politely nodded to Kō, Kiba, and Naruto. "It is good to see you again, Kiba-san. Welcome home, Naruto and Kō," Hiashi greeted formally. The three young men bowed. "I can see that this conversation likely revolves around Team Four. There is a meeting room down the hall; I will ensure no one interferes."

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama," Naruto said with a bow. Hinata lead them to the meeting room.

The group sat down around the table and Hinata immediately noticed the triumphant grins adorning her boyfriend and her teammate's faces. Naruto and Kiba only smiled like that when they had pulled a prank, won a fight, or gotten praise from Wantanabe-sensei or the Hokage.

"What is going on, Naruto-kun, Kiba-kun?" Hinata asked. "I haven't seen you two grin like that since we were first put on Team Four."

Kiba grinned. "Wantanabe-sensei is planning something. Naruto and I aren't exactly sure what it is, but sensei is going big!"

"Kiba's right," Naruto backed up his friend. "Kō-niisan says he knows what Yuji-sensei is planning."

"You do, Kō-san?" Hinata asked.

Kō inclined his head respectfully. "I do, Hinata-sama. As you know, I assisted Team Seven on their mission to the Land of Waves. It was a successful, but hard fought, mission. Upon our return, Kakashi-sempai asked for my opinion on his team. I gave him my assessment on Team Seven and Kakashi-sempai seemed to agree. He told me that he will be nominating Team Seven for the next Chūnin Exams."

"Chūnin Exams?" Kiba and Hinata asked at the same time. Naruto was oddly quiet as he contemplated the idea.

"How long before the next exams?" Naruto asked before Kō could confirm Kiba and Hinata's suspicions.

"The Chūnin Exams will take place in four months," Kō answered.

Team Four was stunned. The three Genin sat quietly for a moment, before Hinata looked up fiercely. The look in Hinata's eyes caught everyone by surprise. Kiba and Kō were shocked by the _extreme_ confidence and viewed Hinata with an even higher amount of respect. Naruto had always respected Hinata greatly, and took in Hinata's confidence with a blush.

To Naruto, Hinata looked _insanely hot_ right now.

"We are ready for the Chūnin Exams now," Hinata declared. "We just need to show Wantanabe-sensei that we're ready."

"Hinata-chan's right," Naruto agreed. He was speaking to the entire group, but he couldn't take his eyes off Hinata. "Chūnin are expected to be leaders. We've got to show Yuji-sensei that we can do that."

"Sounds like we should get on those mission reports," Kiba added. Naruto and Hinata nodded in agreement. The Inuzuka informed his teammates of the time Yuji had set up for their next training session. Kō left the team after a few polite words of encouragement.

Naruto started quizzing his teammates on what they had been up to since Team Four had gone their separate ways at the Hokage Tower. Kiba simply let his teammates know a bit more about what had tipped him off the Wantanabe-sensei's plans. Hinata shyly told about her report to the clan council, but left out a few details that she wanted to share with Naruto alone. Naruto told his teammates about his run-ins with Ebisu and Konohamaru with his usual exuberance. His tone shifted to a more somber, and almost reverent, tone when he talked about Team Ten taking him to the Uzumaki Shrine.

"Seems like you're figuring a few things out," Kiba said warmly. Naruto nodded at his friend. Team Four's meeting ended on a positive note. Kiba and Akamaru headed home and left Naruto and Hinata alone in the office.

"Naruto-kun, I'm glad you are discovering information about your clan," Hinata said softly. "On behalf of the Hyūga Clan, I apologize that we did not do more to help you discover your heritage."

Naruto shook his head and chuckled. "Hinata-chan, the only time I like seeing you that formal is when you're in a dress." The Hyūga heiress went bright red and Naruto continued. "You've always been one of my biggest supporters. I don't hold anything against you."

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," Hinata said in response to both compliments. "The Hyūga council voted to allow you to have access to our clan's records to research the ties between our clans."

Naruto's face lit up. "That's awesome!"

"I'm glad I could help you," Hinata said softly.

The young man grinned. "I don't know what I'd do without you. Oh, and Hinata-chan…you were _really_ hot when you declared we were ready for the Chūnin Exams."

Hinata's blush certainly wasn't unexpected, but the look in her eyes caught Naruto completely off guard. "Byakugan," Hinata whispered.

"Ne, Hinata-chan, why are you…" Naruto never got a chance to finish his sentence as Hinata practically shunshinned out of her seat and pressed her lips against his.

Naruto's last coherent thought was roughly, 'best day ever'.

* * *

Team Four resumed training with gusto. They threw themselves at basic training and their teamwork became almost flawless. In fact, they had taken to using the Transformation Technique in their spars and mimicking their teammates. Yuji had to admit that it was a novel approach to learning each others fighting styles and mastering chakra control.

The Jonin had a sneaking suspicion that his team had an idea about the Chūnin Exams. A few days after training resumed, Yuji had seen Hinata talking with Sakura and Ino outside of a clothing store about the intense training Asuma and Kakashi had been putting Team Seven and Team Ten through.

There was a part of Yuji that was worried his team was about to hit a wall in training. So, he decided to change tracks. Naruto and Kiba complained about the string of D-ranks, but they certainly didn't complain about the money they were making. Thanks to Naruto's kage bunshin, Hinata's management abilities, and Kiba's dogged determination Team Four completed eight D-ranks in a single week.

"Hokage-sama, I believe Team Four has sufficiently recovered and is ready for a C-rank mission," Yuji announced. Hinata, Kiba, and Naruto all looked absolutely thrilled. Kiba and Akamaru appeared as if someone had given them a perfectly cooked steak wrapped in bacon. Naruto and Hinata looked as if they had just received word that their next date would be _completely_ unsupervised.

"I believe your charges support your assessment," Hiruzen replied with a chuckle. "We do not have a C-rank for today, but a member of the Ueda Clan will need an escort to her family's villa to the east tomorrow."

"You do us a great honor, Hokage-sama," Hinata said respectfully. Kiba, Naruto, and Akamaru exchanged confused glances.

Wantanabe was as aware as Hinata that this mission was a sign of the Hokage's favor. "Team Four graciously accepts the mission, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage smiled. "Excellent. I will inform Naho-sama personally. Naho-sama will be leaving by the south gate at nine A.M. Dismissed, Team Four."

Team Four bowed and exited as instructed. As soon as they were clear of the Hokage's office, Akamaru barked and whined in such a way that it was clear he was asking a question.

"I'm with Akamaru," Naruto agreed. "Just what's so special about Ueda Naho?"

Kiba did a double-take when he heard Naruto's words. "I-I'm impressed, dude. You almost got that spot-on."

"Well, Akamaru and I have been working together for a while now. I'd like to think I can understand a teammate a bit," Naruto bragged.

'_Yeah, he's definitely gonna be Hokage,'_ Kiba thought. "But I'm curious too, Hinata. Who is this Ueda Naho chick?"

"Ueda Naho is the grand-niece of the Fire Daimyo," Yuji stated. He had to admit, it was amusing to see Naruto and Kiba's jaw drop. "According to reports, she's one of our Daimyo's favorite relatives."

"Oh," Kiba managed to speak first. "That's…kind of a big deal."

"This might just be the most important mission of our careers so far," Naruto announced. "Naho-sama _will _talk about us with her family and the Daimyo _will_ find out."

"I-I think this should be an A-rank…You make it all sound so important, Naruto-kun," Hinata said breathlessly.

Naruto grinned broadly. "It is important and that's why _we_ go it!"

"So, no pressure, eh?" Kiba asked. Wantanabe-sensei simply sat back and watched the amusing antics of his charges.

"Nope! We've got Hinata-chan and Akamaru! They'll pick up our slack!" Naruto joked. Team Four laughed a bit at Naruto's joke. Yuji dismissed the team and everyone started to go their separate ways. "Hey, Hinata-chan, can you wait a second?"

Hinata stopped and waited for Naruto to jog over to her. "What is it Naruto-kun?"

"I know we're about to go on another C-rank, but I think things have gotten back to 'normal' after the last one. I just wanted to let you know, I haven't forgotten that I owe you a real date," Naruto said with a wistful smile.

"I am going to hold you to that," Hinata admitted to a smile.

Naruto moved closer and wrapped his arms around Hinata. "Mind if I hold _you _for a bit?"

"N-No," Hinata answered with a brilliant crimson decorating her cheeks. Naruto smirked and inched closer. Hinata enjoyed the attention Naruto lavished upon her.

A man cleared his throat off to the couple's left. The pair jumped a bit, and instinctively entered their taijutsu stances.

Shimura Danzo stared at the two young Genin for a moment. "I know that such affection is common for young people, but it is unwise to do so in public. What would Hiashi-sama say if he saw you two like that?"

Naruto and Hinata cast a quick glance at each other. Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Probably something about waiting 'till we got home?"

Danzo's lone visible settled on the Hyūga heiress. He had expected a reaction of shock and embarrassment from the young woman. Hyūga-sama's blush certainly fit with Danzo's expectations, but the momentary upward twitch of her lips hadn't been expected.

"I-I don't think Father would put it like _that_, Naruto-kun," Hinata admitted shyly. Danzo silently ground his teeth. He controlled his emotions well, but his annoyance still flared. These were two of the most promising tools Konoha possessed and had been given the sensitive political assignment of ensuring the safety of the Fire Daimyo's favored 'grandchild'. Instead of preparing for the mission, they were acting like two love-struck teenagers.

"Still, I believe his sentiment would be most…prudent." Danzo seemed to relax.

"You are right, sir," Naruto agreed politely. "We should also get ready our mission in the morning. Have a good day…"

"Shimura Danzo," Danzo provided. Naruto bowed.

"Goodbye Danzo-san," Naruto completed the bow. "May I escort you home, Hinata-chan?"

"You may, Naruto-kun," Hinata answered playfully. "Have a pleasant day, Shimura-sama."

"You as well," Danzo replied flatly. The two Genin walked off in the direction of the Hyūga compound. The village elder stood quietly at the base of the Hokage's tower for a moment as he pondered the container and the heiress. They were both very talented. Danzo had actually been pleased by their reactions to his surprise arrival. Though, he had been disappointed that he had been able to approach them at all. However, they recovered quickly and entered into defensive taijutsu stances instinctively. There stances were very telling as well. Hinata and Naruto did not move to shield each other, but to support each other. That spoke well of their teamwork and respect for each other. Danzo was…concerned…by his agents' failures to secure the container before the Hyūga had, but at least the boy was becoming a powerful tool for the village.

It, sadly, was almost treasonous that the Hyūga were monopolizing Konoha's greatest weapon. Hiashi was likely using the relationship as a means of control and/or a way to stabilize the Hyūga genetically.

'_I will need a way to…secure…the container for the entire village rather than a single clan,'_ Danzo decided. Perhaps there were elements within the Hyūga Clan that could aid him? Another option was that the Foundation could reach out to their _associates_ during the event in four months.

'_I do not have much time and plans must be laid.'_

* * *

Kiba and Akamaru decided to take the long way back to the Inuzuka Clan compound. He really had to think about the significance of the mission. The young Inuzuka had always been brimming with self-confidence. However, the implications of his next C-rank were actually staggering. The _Daimyo_ would know about Kiba's performance. The Hokage had _chosen_ Team Four for this mission.

The Third hadn't held out for Team Seven and Sasuke. He hadn't saved it for Team Ten and the second generation Ino-Shika-Cho.

Hokage-sama had chosen Team Four.

He had chosen _Kiba and Akamaru_. Simply put, this might be one of the greatest moments of Kiba's life. Kiba needed to get his emotions under control before he reached home or his mom and Hana would try their best to tease Kiba and bring him back down to Earth. Still, it was a great honor to be selected.

Akamaru paused and whined to get Kiba's attention. The human paused and quirked an eyebrow at his partner. It was then that the singing reached his ears. It was an old hunter's song. Kiba judged the direction, volume, and the smell carried on the wind and determined it was a girl at the old Union Shrine. The Union Shrine was built shortly after the founding of Konoha and the Fire Daimyo's official recognition of the power of the First Hokage.

Kiba approached the Shrine and saw a brightly colored ball rise and fall in the air. The ball disappeared and so did the singing. Kiba shrugged his shoulders and Akamaru barked that he had lost interest as well.

"So, how do you think Mom and Kuromaru will try to bring us back down to earth?" Kiba asked Akamaru.

The ninken's tail wagged and he let a howl out. Kiba laughed at his partner's answer.

"I don't think avoiding them until we leave in the morning will work, partner," Kiba laughed heartily at Akamaru's joke.

A scream shattered the atmosphere of camaraderie. Kiba and Akamaru did not exchange a glance as they exploded to the source of the scream. The pair relied on their enhanced sense of smell and hearing to pinpoint the location of the person in danger. Kiba vaulted over and Akamaru slid through the gaps of the fence that separated the Union Shrine and the seemingly-bottomless ravine. A young noblewoman was hanging on to an exposed root with one hand and had an ornate ball in the other. Kiba quickly snatched the arm clinging desperately to the root.

"Grab onto Akumaru's collar!" Kiba ordered. The distressed young woman grabbed Akumaru's collar and Kiba and Akumaru pulled her to safety.

"You alright?" Kiba asked. The girl quivered a bit, but nodded. "What the heck happened?"

"I slipped trying to get my brother's ball," the girl answered.

Kiba crossed his arms and shot her an annoyed look. She risked her life for a ball? There wasn't anyone else around. Akamaru would have pointed that out if there had been anyone. A ball was just a thing; an item. Her brother could replace a ball, but not a sister.

"A ball isn't worth your life," Kiba channeled his mom's most stern tone and chastised the girl. "How would your stunt have affected your brother if you'd died?"

The girl looked down and said something so softly that even Akamaru had trouble hearing it. The ninken whined a bit and Kiba looked at the girl. She looked over at the dog and the young man who had saved her life.

"I said that ball is all I have left! My twin is gone," the girl nearly wailed.

"I'm sorry," Kiba said dumbly. "I didn't realize it was so recent."

"It wasn't," the girl admitted. "Nori died when we were six."

Kiba didn't respond or even sigh. He knew that he'd be torn up if Akamaru ever died. Inuzuka and their ninken were closer than almost any human bond. Kiba had heard about how close twins were and had even seen the bond in action. Hizashi and Hiashi were both incredibly close and it was actually kinda creepy how they have an entire conversation based entirely by the movements of their eyes.

"I didn't know your brother, but I know he wants you to live a full and happy life before you two are reunited." Kiba used his most reassuring tone of voice and a gentle smile.

"T-Thank you." Kiba desperately fought the urge to raise an eyebrow. He had seen a blush like that a few times…from Sakura whenever Sasuke was around…or from Hinata when Naruto did something incredibly sappy and romantic.

"I…may I know your name? I-I need to properly thank my rescuer."

Kiba smirked. "Inuzuka Kiba."

"Thank you, Inuzuka Kiba-san. I am Ueda Naho," Naho finished with a bow.

Kiba and Akamaru exchanged a quick look. The young man shook his head. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Naho-sama."

Naho smiled as she accepted Kiba's assistance of standing up. "S-so polite. Again, I must thank you, Kiba-san."

"You're, uh, welcome," Kiba said nervously. It wasn't that he disliked having attention from girls. There were two potential issues. First, Naho was his upcoming client. That could get awkward. Second, she was just a kid. Unfortunately for Kiba, Naho turned out to be very adept at reading people. In fact, Kiba thought she was almost as good as Hinata.

"I know I'm short," Naho grumbled. Kiba was about to reassure her that kids kept growing, but was cut off. "And I'm _your age_, I'll have you know! Unless Konoha and the Land of Fire are in a State of War or the student is a genius, graduation from Konoha's Academy happens at age twelve or thirteen depending on birthdates!"

"You…really know your stuff. Sorry for the mistake," Kiba said apologetically.

Naho beamed. "Apology accepted, Kiba-san."

"So, Naho-sama…where are you staying tonight before you depart in the morning?" Kiba asked.

"H-How did you know that?" Naho asked cautiously. Akamaru barked and Kiba translated that Team Four had been selected as Naho's escorts. The noblewoman beamed. "You'll be my escort?"

"Akamaru and I wouldn't lie about something like that," Kiba assured the noble.

"Well, Kiba-kun, may I request an escort back to my hotel room? I am aware you aren't under contract until tomorrow morning, but I would be _very_ appreciative…" Naho said with a bit of faux-innocence and a good bit of hopefulness.

Kiba smirked and motioned for Naho to take the lead. "Take the lead, Naho-sama."

* * *

Naruto and Hinata met each other at Sayuri's for a light breakfast. They did not speak of their mission or the constant reminders from both their guardians and the Hyūga Clan Council about the unimaginable importance of their mission. Instead, they simply enjoyed each others company.

"I can't believe I'm less worried about a bandit attack than offending Ueda-sama," Hinata sighed as she finished her tea.

"Hinata-chan, you're the last person who should be worried about offending anyone." Naruto shook his head at the absurdity of the idea.

"R-Right, thank you, Naruto-kun," Hinata said with a small grin. "We should probably start heading to the gate. I want to make a good impression with the Daimyo's family."

Naruto returned the smile. "I wonder how Kiba is going to handle this mission."

* * *

"I can't believe you would even _think _that!" Naruto and Hinata heard a young woman shout. The couple exchanged a nervous glance. The shouting was very close to the gates and carried an aristocratic coloring.

"What? You know that I'm right," Kiba's voice carried clearly around the corner. Akamaru barked twice in agreement.

"Is it too late to request a new escort?"

Naruto and Hinata rounded the corner and felt a sense of panic rising in their gut. Kiba was arguing with the client! Naho-sama was a _favored_ relative of the Daimyo! The couple had been brought up in the halls of the very politically-minded Hyūga Clan. Hinata took the lead and started to head over to the bickering teens.

"Don't worry," Yuji's voice snapped Naruto and Hinata out of their mission. The two Genin looked at their sensei and commanding officer in shock. Wantanabe-sensei chuckled softly. "They've been at it for the last five minutes."

"Yuji-sensei…if they've been at it so long, why haven't you stepped in?" Naruto asked as delicately as his nervousness allowed. The Jonin simply nodded in the direction of Naho and Kiba.

"I'm sorry, but you're stuck with us, Naho-sama. This trip will go so much easier if you'll just _admit_ the third Princess Fūn movie was better than the second one."

Hinata and Naruto blinked at the bizarre exchange. After a moment, Naruto snorted. "Shame Naho-sama and Kiba are both wrong. The second and third are tied and the _fourth_ is the second best after the first one."

Yuji started to laugh in amusement and relief. _'It is good to see that despite everything, this world has not completely robbed Team Four of their childhoods.'_

* * *

Team Four was on edge. There were no overt threats that Konoha's intelligence had discovered against their client, but as one of the Fire Daimyo's favored relatives there were always threats against Ueda Naho. Hinata was constantly surveying the surrounding area with her Byakugan and directing Naruto's kage bunshin to investigate anything remotely suspicious. Kiba and Akamaru were doing their part by detecting any and all smells on the wind. The Gennin were following the same plan that had served them well on their first C-rank mission. They were very relieved that the perimeter needed to defend the client was much smaller than the massive merchant caravan.

"Naho-sama," Hinata said politely as she approached the young woman's carriage. "We have completed our most recent sweep of the surrounding areas."

"Thank you for your vigilance and professionalism," Naho answered formally. She flicked her eyes around the carriage. Once she was confident her attendants were absorbed in either their books or official reports, she leaned closer to the window. "Hinata-san…I am curious about a particular aspect of shinobi deployments."

Hinata noted the amused gleam in the client's eyes before speaking. "Obviously, I cannot discuss anything that would jeopardize the security of Konoha or my fellow shinobi."

"Of course, I've been tutored on civilian-shinobi interaction since before I could talk," Naho pointed out. "I'm just curious…are all cells two guys and one girl?"

"That is the traditional ratio," Hinata answered.

"I'm stuck with old tutors…" Naho pouted a bit. "Are the shinobi of the cell always as hot as those two or did you just have the best luck ever?"

Hinata blushed. "I-I…"

Naho laughed. "I apologize for putting you on the spot like this. I'm just curious and this is the first time I have met with a kunoichi my age. The only other times I've dealt with shinobi have been the Twelve Guardian Ninja that protect my great uncle and a pair of Chūnin who escorted my father home from a meeting in the Capital."

"They were likely very focused on their duties," Hinata surmised.

"I'm sure you can picture just how focused they were," Naho grumbled. "But, I'm glad to meet a kunoichi my age. Is being in a battle frightening?"

"Yes," Hinata answered without a moment's hesitation. "Konoha has trained us to control our fear so that we may complete our missions and protect our teammates and clients."

"I never thought I'd hear a ninja admit to being afraid of anything. The stories and books make you out to be fearless warriors."

Hinata smiled. "We are warriors, but we're still human. I've experienced fear and I know that Naruto-kun and Kiba-kun have also been afraid."

"That…makes me feel better actually. Knowing that you experience emotions like the rest of us makes you feel real." Naho let a breath out. "Speaking of what the stories and books say…is there any _tension_ on the team?"

Hinata blushed as she realized the type of _tension_ Naho was referring to. "No, there's no _tension. _Naruto-kun and I have been…seeing each officially for some time now. Kiba-kun has always been a very dear friend."

"Friend-zoned?" Naho asked with a giggle that Hinata noted was masking some other emotion.

"Just a friend. There was never any…interest that would put Kiba in the friend-zone from the beginning."

Naho brightened a bit. "Oh. Is there any truth to those stories then?"

"There's truth to it," Hinata revealed. "I have not heard of any…_tension_ from my graduating class, but it has happened. I had one of my cousins complain about falling into that kind of situation before."

"I bet the drama was incredible! Your clan is one of the Four Noble Shinobi Clans, after all."

Hinata activated her Byakugan again before lowering her voice. "Tsukiko's situation put _movies_ to shame. I was a bit too young to understand at the time, but it was almost legendary!"

Several feet away, Naruto was walking along the trail with Kiba. "They're whispering."

"That probably won't end well," Kiba said in a conspiratorial tone. "I've seen Hana and a few of my girl clanmates chat like that. Generally, it is some crazy gossip about who's seeing who, who's wanting who, and stuff like that."

"I'm not even going to pretend to understand," Naruto grumbled.

Akamaru barked and Naruto shrugged. Kiba started to laugh. "Akamaru nailed that one. I don't think we'll _ever_ understand women."

"I've got a list of things I call 'Weird Hyūga Girl Stuff' that I've seen over the years. It all still confuses me." Naruto looked around. Yuji-sensei was leaping between branches and Naruto noticed that the former ANBU was not using a set pattern. "Like, Hinata-chan and I were on a date before our first C-rank. We were just walking around when suddenly Hinata-chan latches onto my arm like someone was going to try steal me away or something."

Kiba chuckled. "I've been around my sis enough to say she might have thought someone _would_ try." The Inuzuka grinned at his best friend's confusion. "Hinata probably saw another girl or group of girls scoping you. She was staking her claim."

"I'm not going to complain about Hinata hugging me like that, but I mean, can you see me even _looking_ at another girl?"

"Think of it this way, would you want some random dude scoping Hinata out?"

"Hell no," Naruto snorted. Kiba spread his arms wide and quirked an eyebrow. "Point taken, Kiba."

Naruto had to admit that this C-rank was going incredibly smoothly. In fact, Naruto was worried that everything was going _too _smoothly. The jinchūriki was expecting the ax to drop at any moment.

'_I have several patrolling squads of kage nunshin, Hinata-chan has the Byakugan, and Kiba and Akamaru can smell just about anything,'_ Naruto thought to reassure himself. Now, Naruto admitted, was as good a time as any to approach Yuji-sensei.

"Yuji-sensei, can I speak with you a moment?" Naruto asked. The Jonin nodded and dropped down from his perch.

"Always, Naruto," Yuji assured his student. "What may I help you with?"

"I've been thinking recently…" Naruto began. "I got into a…debate with a shinobi named Ebisu a while back. We disagreed on what made a good shinobi. He argued that jutsu alone made a good ninja. I still disagree with him, but…"

"You weren't the only one he had a conversation with recently," Yuji revealed. Naruto's eyes went wide in an instant. "He was impressed with you. You've made an impact on his student, I believe."

Naruto grinned. "Cool, but I kinda agree that a ninja needs a wide variety of jutsu. I only really know Kage Bunshin, Substitution, and the Henge. My taijutsu and shurikenjutsu aren't bad, but that's all still really basic stuff."

"I can understand your position. Kiba-kun and Hinata-chan have a variety of jutsu they have learned from their clans," Wantanbe observed. Naruto nodded sheepishly. "I think I can point out a few useful jutsu that can take advantage of your massive chakra reserves.

"Thanks, Yuji-sensei. _That_ detail gives me at least one advantage. I should make use of it," Naruto stated quietly. "I've also got a few ideas about using Kage Bunshin, but there hasn't been a whole lot of time to work on it…"

Yuji smiled. "It is good that you are trying to innovate with what you have. Inventiveness is a valuable skill that is always appreciated by superiors and clients."

Naruto beamed. "Thank you, Yuji-sensei."

"You're welcome, Naruto-kun. Please report to Kiba-kun, Hinata-chan, and Naho-sama along with her attendants that we should be approaching a suitable location for camp."

"Yes sir," Naruto answered with a slight bow of the head. He jogged off to where Hinata was scanning the area with her Byakugan. Naruto chuckled as he once again met up with Hinata with her Byakugan active.

"Naruto-kun, there's a good place to camp less than two miles from our current location," Hinata announced professionally.

The Jinchūriki nodded. "Yuji-sensei spotted it earlier. He wanted me to spread the word."

"Kiba-kun is keeping an eye on the path," Hinata explained. Naruto nodded and sent a kage bunshin to collect the third Gennin of Team Four. It only took a moment for Hinata and Naruto to reach the noblewoman and her attendants.

"Naho-sama," Naruto greeted the client politely. "Yuji-sensei and Hinata-chan have discovered a location for the camp. We will be able to easily defend the location and the camp will be comfortable."

Naho smiled warmly. "How soon will we arrive? I am eager to stretch my legs."

"It should not be much longer. Our pace has been excellent," Hinata stepped into the conversation smoothly.

"Thank you all for your professionalism," Naho said deliberately. She knew that her attendants reported on her status, moods, and political training to her great uncle.

Kiba joined the group. "Everything is clear for miles. The only scents I've detected have belonged to wild deer."

"When we establish camp, I would be honored if Team Four would join me for dinner. Eiji-san is a very established chef. I am confident you will find the quality of the meal far more palatable than field rations," Naho continued her overly formal tone. Hinata noticed that Naho was carrying out a role. She was _acting_. Hinata had danced the practiced political waltz enough times to recognize the steps.

The Hyūga Heiress could also tell just how deeply Naho was chafing under the pressure.

"Naho-sama, we accept your generous invitation and will be honored to share a meal with you," Hinata responded with such formality that Naho's handlers were taken aback. _'They aren't tutors or assistants. These men truly are handlers. Are there fractures in the Daimyo's House?' _Hinata thought darkly. She quickly filed the information away. Now wasn't the time to speculate. That potential investigative lead would have to wait until Team Four's debriefing.

Naho's face lit up with excitement and relief. _'Accepting her invitation may have protected her from a greater danger than any bandit we might face on this mission,'_ Hinata thought nervously.

* * *

Naruto woke up before almost everyone. Of course, Yuji-sensei had already been up for some time. It was almost impossible for Naruto to comprehend waking up earlier than Yuji-sensei on a mission. The young jinchūriki didn't mind. He enjoyed the quiet though. It was a rare time to think.

This mission was going very smoothly. Naruto was grateful that there wasn't any rogue summons, rogue bastard Kumo nins, or anything out of the ordinary. It was the closest Naruto thought he would ever get to a normal mission.

As a security measure, Naruto sent out a few clones to scout the surrounding area. The kage bunshin quickly set out on their task and Naruto returned to camp.

"Ah, Uzumaki-san," a man Naruto wasn't very familiar with called out. The young Shinobi looked over and took in the appearance of one of Naho's attendants. Naruto put on his best 'Be nice even when you are extremely suspicious smile' that Kō-niisan taught him years ago.

"May I help you, sir?"

The man smiled at the 'deference' Naruto was showing and bowed slightly. "Yes, Uzumaki-san. I was curious about your opinion on _politics_."

'_Danger! Danger! The civilian used the _P _word! The civilian used the _P _word!' _Naruto thought in almost naked panic. Fortunately, the years of training allowed the young shinobi to disguise his emotions well.

"My political opinions are those of the Leaf," Naruto replied automatically. The man looked disappointed.

"I see," the garishly dressed gentlemen grumbled. "So, you are unaware of the Leaf's position on succession?"

"If there is an official policy in place, the Hokage has not informed shinobi of my rank at this time," Naruto answered in his most 'official' tone of voice.

"I…see," the official repeated. "Thank you for your time, Uzumaki-san." Naruto bowed to the man and went off to find Yuji-sensei. The Jonin must have known Naruto was looking for him, because Naruto found his Uncle near Team Four's tents.

"I saw the conversation," Wantanabe said without preamble. "You handled the situation very well."

"Thank you, Yuji-sensei," Naruto responded warmly. "I think the Hokage should know about this conversation when we return to Konoha."

Yuji smiled at his Genin. "Your instincts are very good. Kiba and Hinata are up and ready to go. Help them disassemble the camp. We'll move out as soon as Naho-sama and her attendants are ready."

It only took a few minutes to clear the camp. Naruto didn't even need a single kage bunshin. Team Four had become very efficient through their rigorous training and drills. The caravan departed in silence. Naruto and Hinata observed that Naho and her attendants were oddly silent.

"It looks like Naho-sama had an argument with her retainers," Hinata whispered to Naruto.

Naruto nodded once. "One of the retainers asked me politics this morning."

"Civilians using the P-word, that never ends well," Kiba stealthily joined the conversation.

"This could be dangerous," Hinata agreed. "We shouldn't do anything to antagonize either group."

The jinchūriki scanned the road as the traveling party progressed. "Agreed. We should focus on gathering information to report to Hokage-sama when we get home."

"So, who wants to check in with Naho-sama?" Kiba stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets as he asked the question.

"Well, I don't think her 'attendants' like me much," Naruto admitted with a sardonic grin. "I vote one of you head that way."

Hinata hummed in thought. "I would likely attract less attention. After all, two noble girls don't get the chance to talk very often outside of official functions. Our conversation would arouse less suspicion."

"They'd be suspicious of me?" Kiba asked with genuine curiosity.

"Yes, they would be suspicious of your motives, Kiba-kun," Hinata confirmed. "Naho-sama is at the age where her family will begin to entertain betrothal offers. If you are seen taking too active an interest in Naho-sama, her retainers may believe you are acting on orders from your clan."

Akamaru barked and yipped. "Akamaru asked if they would really believe that," Kiba translated.

Hinata nodded in confirmation. The Inuzuka boy and pup just groaned. "Politics suck."

* * *

As far as ambushes went, the mercenaries were professional and well trained. They advanced stealthily and quickly. Their gear was selected to achieve the best possible balance between maneuverability and protection. The attacking soldiers of fortune were equipped with naginata and other polearms to maximize their reach and striking power.

They would have been a true threat to a standard Gennin Cell, Naruto admitted with a mote of respect.

Unfortunately, Team Four was anything but a standard Gennin Cell. Hinata, Kiba, and Naruto were all blooded shinobi. They had battled against terrors, hordes of looters and thieves, and even enemy shinobi. Team Four also had a few unfair advantages that the Genin were viciously exploiting. Hinata's Byakugan, along with Kiba and Akamaru's sense of smell, had given the Konoha ninja sufficient warning. Naruto's mastery of the Kage Bunshin almost completely eliminated the risk of Team Four falling foul of an ambush.

Naruto leapt out of the way of a perfectly drilled naginata strike and punched his kunai through the man's armor. He tore the artery in the mercenary's throat and moved on before his enemy hit the ground. Hinata was proving once again that Jūken was rightfully feared. Armor was no protection against concentrated chakra pulses. The lacquered plates and steel chain mail may interfere with the transfer of chakra, but it couldn't stop it.

And even a fraction of the foreign chakra would do incredible damage to a man's internal organs.

Hinata was a whirling dervish as she danced among the mercenaries. She barely paid attention to the four fallen soldiers behind her. Only two had been killed outright, but the others would soon join their comrades thanks to the internal bleeding caused by the Jūken strikes.

Kiba was enjoying himself, Naruto noticed. He had 'liberated' one of the mercenary's naginatas and was tearing into a small squad. The Inuzuka had disoriented his foes with a smoke bomb before charging in to combat. The vision-obscuring cloud was not as detrimental to Kiba as his enemies. The shinobi and Akamaru had a heightened sense of smell and used the sense to great effect.

All in all, the ambush was launched and defeated in the space of six minutes.

"I don't know who these guys were," Kiba said as he flourished 'his' new weapon. "but they were a cut above the average mercenary."

Hinata stood over the corpse of an enemy. "I agree, Kiba-kun. Mercenaries are rarely this organized or disciplined."

"We should see if we can find a live one," Naruto sighed. "Does anyone remember the interrogation methods from back in the Academy?"

Kiba and Hinata revealed that they remembered the basics. "You all had a good plan," Yuji entered the conversation. "Unfortunately, that won't be possible. The three survivors all had false teeth."

"Okay, seriously, who the hell are these guys?" Kiba and Akamaru barked at the same time.

Hinata took a deep breath. "I'm more worried about who hired them."

Team Four gave the Hyūga Heiress an inquisitive look. Hinata shrank a bit under the sudden attention. "These mercenaries could not have been cheap. If we had not had warning about the ambush, I believe they could have overwhelmed us."

"There aren't many regular forces that can do that," Naruto pointed out. "We can use that fact to possibly narrow the upcoming investigation."

"Very well thought out," Yuji complimented his team. "I will check with our clients. I want you all to secure the immediate area before we continue to our destination."

"Yes sir!" Team Four responded in unison.

Wantanabe's thoughts were exploring dozens of possibilities and leads as he approached the concerned nobles. He automatically said all the 'correct' platitudes and answers to allay the fears of the clients. However, the Jonin's primary focus was on the conversations he had with Kakashi and Ebisu. Chūnin were expected to be more than very powerful fighters. They also had to be level-headed in unknown scenarios and take the long view required for command. Yuji could not deny that his team had the makings of fantastic Chūnin. They were young, but could Yuji really say anything about youth? He had been younger when Tsume-sensei had nominated his Genin Cell for the Exams.

Yuji had made his decision. Team Four was ready.

* * *

**Author's Note: This is actually an illusion, please accept the Red Pill from your computer's Optical Drive or your tablet's headphone jack to read the real chapter.  
**

In all seriousness, I'm really sorry it has taken me so long to update. I'm working hard on a number of fics and trying to get them ready to update. Dichotomy of the Souls, A Matter of Destiny, and even Twelve Shattered Mirrors have been worked on recently. I greatly appreciate reviews. Reviews help my muse more than any number of favs and alerts (though they are very welcome).


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